3.5 stars pumped up.

This is a story about the kind of places that we come to inhabit only to find out that it inhabits us and not the other way around. I'm always tentative when it comes to contemporary stories because, let's face it, there's a lot of cliches out there. But this story is not one of those cliches.

Clancy builds her characters layer by layer in a very convincing way. Although there was a lot of telling, I let it slide because of the author's intimate way of handling the telling. The house was the eminent character of all; the author brought it to life and made it familiar. It seemed to resemble the lives of her characters: downtrodden but still standing. Hence, I must commend the title and the beautiful cover that encompassed the essence of the book.

My only problem was the time gaps that seemed to separate the chapters. Sometimes the narrative was simultaneous and sometimes weeks, months, or even years separated where one chapter ended and another started. There were no indications as to how much time had passed and I had to go back and figure it out on my own. Regardless, this is the kind of books I'd recommend to someone who's into family dramas.

Thank you, NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC.

Decent read, A bit wordy, I did skim through parts of it. It felt more like a Y.A.book. The plot was really not believable to me, the characters seemed a bit shallow.

This was a book I couldn't put down. Loved the family dynamics. Didn't want this book to end!!

Thanks to author,publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free,it had no bearing on the rating I gave it.

I think that my favorite thing about this book was the writing style. Christina Clancy has a gift with her words. This novel deals with a wide spectrum of topics, but it did not ever really feel overdone. I would not have guessed that this was a debut novel, and I am glad I had the fortune to read it. All of the characters felt so real and distinctive, and even when it deals with complicated subjects, it feels as though it is done so with care.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the chance to read this book!

After reading 'The Second Home'—a book that defies one of the sacred tenets of fiction writing—I was left feeling... Awestruck! Utterly gobsmacked! Usually, when faced with a narrative in which telling takes precedent over showing, I tend to quickly lose interest. Howbeit, in this case, the writing was so captivating that the point is irrelevant. This story consumed me from beginning to end. 'The Second Home' is a beautiful, intricately crafted tale about growing up, about love and loss, about families falling apart and coming back together again. There were so many players to root for: Michael, Ann, Poppy, Ed & Connie, Noah, and even Maureen. (Michael especially stole my heart.)

I am so thankful that I received a copy of this book. I ADORED it! Without question, this is one of the top-five stories that I have read in 2019. You. Must. Read. 'The Second Home'! 5+ stars

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Christina Clancy for an ARC 'The Second Home' in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.