Someplace Like Home by Bobi Conn is a highly recommended domestic drama set in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains of eastern Kentucky. It is a powerful fictionalized account of the lives of Conn's grandmother and mother and is about abusive relationships in isolated environments.

Jenny Caudill grew up in a strict home where her parents, especially her mother, laid down the law. Her parents had worked hard to stretch every dollar for a home and garage/barn where her father worked on cars for a living. As the youngest of four sisters, with one younger brother, she wore hand-me-downs. Everyone was expected to follow the rules and be home before dark. Jenny was ignored by boys until Rob Lewis laid eyes on her and began coming to her house and paying attention to her. Ignoring her mother's harsh warnings, Jenny continues to see Rob which results in a marriage of violence and substance abuse.

The narrative is divided into three sections. Part one is Jenny's childhood, part two is after Jenny and Rob are married, and the final part is from the point-of-view of Charlie, Jenny's daughter. The majority of the story is through Jenny's point-of-view and she is a sympathetic character. It should be noted that there are very descriptive scenes of control and abuse. It will be difficult for many to understand the all-too-real dilemma of why family didn't step forward to help her and the hopelessness of why she put up with the violence once she had children to protect.

The writing is excellent and Conn does a great job capturing the time, place, and setting. She depicts the lack of real choices and opportunities available in the area which left many open to abuse, trauma, addiction, and despondency. It would have been satisfying if more emotional healing from all of their trauma was covered. This would be a great book club choice, especially for the discussions on the role of location, limited choices, and isolation in circumstances of trauma and abuse. Thanks to Little A for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, X, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Content Warnings:
- Loss of a child
- Domestic Abuse

I was immediately drawn into this book and devoured in a day. Although this story was traumatic and heartbreaking, the writing and storytelling wad so beautiful done. I felt the emotions of this book so intimately as my own mother was a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of my stepfather. Stories like this just hit different when you've lived it.
Thank you NetGalley and Little A for the opportunity to read and review this advanced copy.

Three generations of women in rural Appalachia: Helen raises her children strictly and with little room for “extras”, but her home is more or less a happy one, a safe one. Her youngest daughter, Jenny, is a Kentucky girl through and through, and she imagines that her adult life will mirror the small-town stability she grew up with—but as she gets older, she’s also swayed by the thrill of being courted by someone she views as out of her league. And the choices she makes based on that thrill—choices very in line with time and place and a limited range of ambitions for her future—will come to define, if not haunt, her life. And then there’s Jenny’s daughter, also a Kentucky girl through and through but, eventually, with a more reflective view on her family’s history than either Jenny or Helen has ever really been able to apply.

The story moves chronologically (with some slight deviation at the end; more on that in a moment), starting with a relatively broad look at Helen’s young-married life but spending most time on Jenny’s story. You can see the spiral before it even begins: her paramour Rob is, to an outside eye (or, for that matter, to anyone in Jenny’s life), Bad News from the very beginning…but all Jenny can see is that she is young and unsophisticated, and someone older and ‘cooler’ has taken an interest in her. You can guess, maybe, the general direction in which her story goes.

Jenny's story is, Conn says in the introduction, a fictionalized version of her mother's life. Fictionalizing real life can be risky, but here I think it pays off—I don't know how much here has been changed from Conn's mother's life, but I suspect that a basis in reality is giving us a story with fewer easy answers and happy endings than pure fiction would have. Jenny's perspective is sometimes hard to take—she's Rob's staunchest defender, even (or especially) when he doesn't deserve it. "Rob didn't explode every day. He didn't hit me every day or make me have sex with him whether I wanted to or not. Some nights he did, but not every night" (loc. 2395). She's always looking for the romance she'd imagined she'd have, even when all the evidence says that she's looking in the wrong place, looking for the wrong hero. It's...not a tack I've ever taken, and I hope it's not one that I ever will, but I think we've probably all known someone in some form of Jenny's shoes.

This is a multigenerational saga, and the one thing I'm not much a fan of is the 'looking back' tone of Jenny's daughter's section, which takes me out of the story somewhat. I think I would have preferred a continuation of the more chronological structure, one in which we see more clearly how this third generation has taken shape and has learned from—or sometimes not learned from—those who went before them. I imagine it may be done as it is because Conn has already written a memoir (which I now want to read); perhaps continuing that story felt too much like a retread of the memoir material.

I lived in the South for a while—not in the same state or the same circumstances that Jenny and her mother and daughter do—and I'm always drawn to these stories of various forms of hardscrabble lives. Reminds me of the hot humid air, of crickets singing in the evening.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

I enjoyed this book! I do think it started off a little slow and dragged in some places, but overall a solid read. It was heartbreaking to read Jenny's story (especially knowing it is based of the authors mother's life) of staying with an abusive partner all for the hope of a loving family.

I wanted to love this book, but the pace was just way too slow for me. I have read pretty extensively about the Appalachian region and I generally find it very interesting, but for whatever reason I simultaneously felt bad for the main character but also found it difficult to really root for her. Unfortunately the result was that reading it mostly made me sad and for that reason I could really only read it in small chunks. I do think this author has a very interesting perspective, it just wasn't really something I'd read for fun.

I was able to read an Arc of this and let me say at the end of this novel I felt as though I had been trauma dumped on. But that's the said reality of what a lot of women go through. One of the POV's in the author's mother and that poor woman couldn't catch a break. I believe some elements of her story was fictionalized but also based on facts. This is not a quick or easy read but it is an eye opener and the author could teach a masterclass in how to properly weave together multiple Pov.

Heart-wrenching fictionalized memoir of a girl, then a woman who can only dreams for a real "home". This is a fictionalized version of the author's mother's life, which makes it more painful and more agonizing to read because all events in this book more or less happened.

Author immerses us in the history of her family's lives, their tragedy, destructive environments, how she endured all while growing and all intertwined into gut wrenching story, that you could possibly wish to go back in time and talk to young Jenny and be there for her.

And this was like a slap to humanity that an abusive relationship is in fact a really harmful situation that sadly the victims are profoundly hard to get out of it or worse,  doesn't realize they actually living it. This book is like a hug in text form, a medium for every victim around the world to be listened, at least sufficiently, it might not be easy, you can fight through this, you're strong, you're worthy, you're more than enough.

When I'm in the middle of reading this, I remember my father once told me, "Never ever expect someone, especially in your case, a man, who you want to be married with, and expect him to change to be better after marriage. No, never. Because it's bullshit. You can't put your expectations in human. If he wants to be better, then he'd done it now."

Maybe I'd like it better if there's more interaction between Jenny's Papa, Charlie and his kids.

If you're a first timer of lit fic, and you wanna try, don't be afraid because the writing is comprehensible even if english isn't your first language.

Thank you NetGalley, Little A, and Bobi Conn, for providing me this ARC.

Jenny Caudill grew up in Kentucky, near the foothills of the magnificent Appalachian Mountains. Her father was a mechanic who fixed cars in a building beside their home while her mother cooked, cleaned and raised four children struggling to stretch every dollar. Her mother was as tough and strict as she had to be to keep the children in line and away from the dangers so easily found in a small town on the outskirts of society. Without a lot of options the teenagers tend to do a lot of smoking, drinking and fighting. Jenny’s mother demanded her children to be respectful, independent and home before dark. But without opportunities for advanced schooling after high school, jobs were scarce and they all wound up at the local factory, bored and mistreated while they stitched zippers into jeans. They didn’t know from much more than that but Jenny was itchy for independence and love. Jenny fell for the first guy who paid her any attention. Rob Lewis was an older boy who dropped out of school and was a handful of trouble. Everyone warned her but once he was set on courting Jenny she transitioned from her mother’s rules to a prison of Rob’s making. He drank, excessively took pain pills and fought with everybody. With no education and a dead end job Rob found his power by lording over Jenny and their children. Living deep in the holler Jenny was suffocating from Rob’s violent mood swings and constant abuse and needed to find a way out before someone got killed. Loosely based on her mother’s life, this author pulled on all my heartstrings. The writing flowed beautifully in this quiet story about family, motherhood and learning to protect yourself. There is much to discuss and this would be a great book club pick!

This was a beautifully done family novel, it had everything that I was looking for from the description. The concept was wonderfully written and I’d enjoyed how realistic everyone was written. I was engaged with the story and glad I got to read this and know the characters. Bobi Conn has a great writing style and I enjoyed the overall concept.

This was a good read! This book takes you on a fiction based journey about the authors mother’s childhood and upbringing into adulthood and motherhood. I loved the setting in Kentucky and the sense of a very small town. The relatability of generational trauma, breaking the cycles, and feeling oddly disconnected from a parent at times while the other parent remained oblivious was written so well! Sadly, what Jenny (the FMC) goes through is not uncommon and not talked about enough. I was completely dialed in to knowing what Jenny would do next for her family and children. As a daughter of a daughter who began breaking generational cycles, this was very relatable but also eye opening from a different POV.

I do wish there had been more chapters on the journey to recovery and healing. Overall good read and will definitely recommend!

This story is a fictionalized version of author’s mother’s life and the timeline reaches back even before her mom was born. These characters have their own characters and motives, and they let the author stitch together a narrative to make sense of her mother’s stories and memories.

This book got 3 part; first part a Jenny’s life since she was a kid. 2nd part when she got married to Rob and have their small family. And the last part the POV’s from Charlie (Jenny’s daughter who told (re-telling)this story when her mom was being abused with her father, Rob and how terrible her life was when she was a kid.

Its a 5⭐️ read and must read book for those who is seeking a happiness in life, for those who was being betrayed and abused in unhealthy’s marriage life. Surely, our parents must have told us to be aware with a guy who seem bad and give hints that he treat us badly but because the name of love, we disobeyed the red-flag given and hoping that men will change after that. Its a fairy-tales imagination. The truth is, ‘its a bed we make and we must lay in there’ no matter what happened.

Someplace Like Home
A Novel
by Bobi Conn
Description
A Mother and Daughter in Appalachia unpacks the traumas of the past in a powerful and reflective novel about family, healing, and moving on by the author of A Woman in Time.
This was a book that made me think of women of Appalachian roots, Many do stay in abusive marriages for too many reasons.A good book.

I didn't love this one but I also didn't hate this one. However I'm not sure how I feel about this one.

Never a sadder story Than this but it is also heartfelt. The struggles are very real and so are the emotions of the characters. Especially Jenny.
I loved that this story is from Jenny's POV and then later her daughter Charlie.
This novel held me spellbound all the way through. I just simply couldn't put it down. Jenny wouldn't let me.
I didn't like Rob or his Papaw at all. They were too mean for me. Ugh! I don't like mean people. Too many of those in this world even worse today.
I absolutely loved the Kentucky setting.
Such a great read. Some parts of it I didn't like. But many others I did.
I think it's mainly about the choices we make whether foolish or not or if the grass is greener but oftentimes it's really not. I found this out myself.
"So much depends on what you choose next." Truer words were never spoken.
The author did very well with this amazing novel It will bring emotionals out that you never knew you had.
5 stars for a well written story. I highly recommend.
My thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a sad story but unfortunately very true for a lot of women - falling in love & staying with an abusive partner & finding the courage to leave. Well written story & character development.

Someplace Like Home was a decent read. As a coming-of-age story of sorts, it led me on a journey through a tumultuous plot that highlighted the ebbs and flows of life as young Jenny. I appreciated the relatability of generational trauma and the search for ones voice through a sea of uncertainty. I also deeply appreciated the emphasis on family to tell a story reflecting self identity. The plot did seem to drag along for a portion of the book; however, I can appreciate the intention to build the story to allow the reader to fully immerse into the plot as it unfolds, for that I am grateful.

Heartbreaking, tender, and infuriating all in one. Appalachian fiction is one of my favorite genres and this was an excellent example. Jenny's mom is distant, her dad is hardworking but doesn't have a lot of time for her or her siblings. She meets Rob and thinks she is about to start a new and exciting life but ends up in a rundown trailer up the holler after a devastating motorcycle accident. I found myself rooting for her but also wanting to shake her at times. The last part told from the perspective of her daughter Charlie definitely ended the story on a high note. It was ultimately very enjoyable and I'm looking forward to reading other works from this author.

Very good read. I couldn't put it down. Thank you for allowing me to read and review this advanced copy.

I was drawn into this book because the cover was absolutely beautiful!
The author lets you know when you first open the book that it’s somewhat based on her mother’s life.
The book follows Jenny Caudill living in foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It starts off with her life as a child up until her adult years. From a poor family to an abusive relationship(trigger warning) Most of the book it is through Jenny’s eyes but the last part is out of her grown daughter’s eyes looking back at her childhood.
This is a raw, full of emotion type of book. It does get a bit graphic, for people that aren’t into that. What a wonderful story of heartache, hard times and over coming the impossible. I would recommend it to anyone. Not only is it a beautiful cover but it’s a great read as well.

For anyone that is interested(I plan on reading it as well) this book was written after the author wrote a memoir about her life. The memoir is called In the Shadow of the Valley. Someplace Like Home is my first by Bobi Conn but I would love to read her memoir as well.

Jenny is a young girl growing up in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and wearing her sisters hand me downs. The first time she receives any attention is from an older boy, a man, named Rob. He isn't particularly nice to her but she likes the attention and agrees to marry him. Her mother disapproves and when he treats her badly tells her that she's made her bed. It's a decent read although not particularly gripping and there are other books that cover this sort of topic a bit better but its still worth reading.