(3.5 stars, rounded up to 4)

This tender and emotionally resonant novel explores the complexities of love, loss, and forgiveness. Greaves's characters are beautifully drawn and deeply relatable, each one grappling with their own struggles and desires. Set against the backdrop of a charming English village, the atmosphere is cozy and inviting, immersing readers in a world where the bonds of friendship and family are tested and ultimately strengthened.

Greaves's writing style is elegant and evocative, with prose that captures the nuances of human emotions with sensitivity and grace. The plot of "Anywhere for You" unfolds with a perfect blend of mystery and introspection, as the characters navigate the twists and turns of their relationships and confront the secrets of their pasts. The pacing is steady and engaging, allowing readers to savor each moment of discovery and revelation. Overall, "Anywhere for You" is a captivating and heartfelt novel that will resonate with readers long after they've turned the final page. Greaves's skillful storytelling, richly drawn characters, and immersive setting make for an enjoyable reading experience that is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Synopsis:

Mary O'Connor stands at Ealing Broadway station every day holding a sign that says "Come Home Jim." Alice, a junior reporter at the Ealing Bugle asks Mary her story. Mary met Jim many years ago and was certain she'd found her other half, until one day he vanished without any explanation. But Mary believes he truly loved her and will return—especially because she’s recently received phone calls from him saying he misses her. Alice quietly begins her own investigation into Jim’s disappearance, unraveling a decade-long story filled with desire, heartbreak, and hope

Review:

This was a heartbreaking read - we travel between the past and present through each chapter as we learn about the story of Jim & Mary. This story shows how we can sometimes put our loved ones on a pedestal and have blind spots when it comes to their imperfections. It looks at imperfect people and how our traumas and past experiences can shape how we view people and situations. While this book addresses some heavy topics, it's still a very heartwarming read.

Thank you William Morrow for the digital copy!

I almost wouldn't classify this as chick lit even though it's a romance because it's so heartbreaking. But there are definitely a lot of sweet moments too, and heartwarming and lovely to boot. The story of Mary's relationship with Jim and his subsequent disappearance is told back and forth with Mary and a third party as narrators, which was very smart because readers are basically in Alice's shoes, learning the story at the same time as she uncovers it. Highly recommended read for romance/chick lit lovers!

This was an interesting but very sad read. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters and felt drawn to Mary. I would have liked a little bit more from the story, it felt like some parts were a little too shallow. It was a entertaining read, but I'm not sure it will stick with me. Thank you netgalley for the free review copy.

I thought this book was just fine. Mary and Jim’s story was interesting but nothing overly intriguing. I did wonder what had happened to Jim and found the ending fine, but I wasn’t overly surprised.

The most interesting storyline to me was Alice, with a little dash of Kit. I was more interested in them than the main plot.

I liked this book, just didn’t love it and don’t see myself reading it again.

Anywhere for You is Abby Greaves's second novel. This one is love and loss and the endurance of hope. A woman's love goes off in the morning never to return. She waits daily by the tube stop for him, with a sign for him to come home. The take-away from this book is that it takes a village to survive this life of ours.

The story is told in past and present timelines. We see how the characters developed a relationship and then of course the present day after he goes missing. This is a story full of heart and emotion. Definitely recommend.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Net Galley for a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

Anywhere For You is a unique read that is part romance, part mystery. It is an enjoyable read that will leave you feeling a wide range of emotions.

I flew through this book. I had to get used to the book jumping from past to present but it was important in order to understand the thinking of the characters. It is well worth a read and at times, I got really irritated with the main character and why she would put herself through the torment of waiting for a man who had left her?I stayed up late finishing the book as I had to know how it was going to end.

It is always exciting to watch a new author grow, and when Abbie Greaves first emerged on the scene with THE SILENT TREATMENT, I knew the literary world had gained something special. Now with her second novel, ANYWHERE FOR YOU, she takes her talent for emotional resonance and applies it to a romantic mystery, reminding readers once again that love, for all its magic and wonder, takes a lot of work and dedication.

For seven years, Mary O’Connor has made a pilgrimage to the Ealing Broadway train station every evening. She works her dead-end retail job, then dons a cardigan over her homely polo shirt and stands in the same spot, holding a sign that reads “Come Home Jim.” Occasionally people try to talk to her, and sometimes they even offer her money, but so far no one has stopped to really ask her about Jim, or where he might be coming home from. One day, a series of transportation issues lead to a deadlock of people crushed into the station, and it seems like every elbow, arm and foot is destined to trample over Mary and her sign. Desperate to complete her daily mission, she lets out years of pent-up rage and frustration and demands her right to personal space --- and quickly goes viral as a legend, a queen, a woman who gets stuff done.

Straphanger Alice Keaton knows a thing or two about men who disappear, but when she hears someone yell through the crowds at the station, all she can think is that the mysterious, drop-dead gorgeous woman holding the sign must have a real story. As a junior reporter for the Ealing Bugle, Alice is much more accustomed to reporting on bank openings and citizen profiles, but she knows a good scoop when she sees one. After helping Mary sit down and regain her composure, she asks about Jim and learns that Mary and Jim were together for six happy, love-filled years until he disappeared without a trace. Mary explains that the two were like soulmates, lovers who often exclaimed that they were one another’s safe harbor. She cannot rest until she is sure that Jim knows he still has a home in her.

In alternating chapters, Greaves goes back in time nearly 15 years, chronicling the whirlwind love affair of young Mary and Jim. A tall, dark and handsome doctor (seriously!), Jim swept Mary off her feet one weekend at a conference in the hotel where she worked. As they continued their long-distance romance, Jim never once made a fuss about the differences between their social or economic stratospheres, even encouraging Mary to join him in London and take time off to kickstart her career as an artist making fabric maps. Their beginnings were downright swoon-worthy, full of steamy love scenes, witty banter and the satisfaction that comes with knowing you have found your person.

But despite their insta-love, their relationship had its ups and downs: Jim could be moody, and he seemed to struggle with alcoholism during bad spells. Time and time again, Mary helped Jim get back on track, but with the gift of hindsight, it’s clear to readers that you can’t fix people, especially if they don’t want to be helped. As the clock ticks down on their six-year romance, Greaves highlights the tenacity and devotion of a woman desperate to save the man she loves.

In the present day, Alice becomes obsessed with Mary’s mysterious missing man, even more so when Mary starts receiving calls from Jim, who seems to beg for forgiveness. Alice joins Mary’s evening gig as part of a call center team to keep an eye on her, get to the bottom of Jim’s disappearance and, with any luck, save her career at the paper by writing a shocking exposé on the viral woman searching for her long-lost love. But as Alice gets closer to the truth, she starts to learn that knowing can sometimes be much worse than the potential of the unknown, and that some love stories are far more complicated than happily ever after.

If you read THE SILENT TREATMENT, you know that Abbie Greaves is an unusually talented writer who is able to infuse even the smallest interactions with a lifetime of emotional weight. Where she plumbed the depths of marriage in her first novel, in ANYWHERE FOR YOU she looks at more unconventional bonds, the “love of your life” whirlwind affairs that can absolutely devastate you just as easily as they can save you. But more than that, she explores mental illness, especially in men, and how the patriarchy, toxic masculinity and plain shame have prevented many men from seeking help, and the toll it can take on the women who love them. This is a straightforward idea at first glance, but Greaves provides so many different, wholly realized examples in her supporting characters that the theme nearly sneaks up on you, creatively mimicking its effects in real life.

While I loved the character of Mary O’Connor --- and I suspect many readers will agree --- I was profoundly moved by Jim and his inability to seek the help he needed. Without shaming, ridiculing or scolding Jim, Greaves manages to explore a lifetime of emotional pain, mental illness and quick fixes with a clear-eyed gaze that never shies away from harsh truths.

If you like your mysteries with a whopping side of heart, and your characters intense and raw, Greaves is the writer for you. Readers of THE SILENT TREATMENT will be struck by the way she has enhanced her talent for plotting, and newcomers will marvel at the emotional intensity of her prose. I have no reason to doubt that her third novel will take her to even higher planes.

This one just keeps reeling you in until you finish the book. You feel horrible for Mary and yet want her to move on from this hell and groundhogs day she keeps living in. This is where Alice steps in and forces Mary to come to terms with her past.

I like how it highlights mental health in men; which isn’t addressed as much as it should be.

I loved this novel! It was a page turner and the love story was moving! I love stories that span the years and how the relationships evolve over time!

This was such a heartbreaking story of grief it was almost too hard to read.

This was such an in-depth look into the mental health of those affected deeply by loss. It touches on so many aspects of mental health and done is a sensitive way, in my opinion.

I liked the growth of the characters Mary and Alice and I think it provided a good almost coming to terms and redevelopment aspect.

From the mind of Abbie Greaves comes not your average romance. I suppose once on a lifetime, epic loves are pretty common in romance novels. What’s less common, when the epic love story takes a left turn and one partner disappears without a trace for seven years. That is exactly what happens to Mary and Jim. For seven years, Mary’s life has revolved around the singular routine of standing at the train station every night with a sign asking Jim to come home. After a viral video brings Mary’s cause to the world, investigative reporter Alice is on the case, and for the first time in seven years Mary may have a real chance at answers, but can she accept them? This story is both joyous and sad at the same time. Definitely have to give credit for the story being unusual. Review posted to Amazon, Litsy, LibraryThing, Facebook, and Goodreads

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed the chapters set in the present day as Mary told her story to her friends and they went looking for Jim. The chapters that jumped back in time to tell Jim and Mary’s story were a bit slower for me.

I can say that I had no idea where this story was going to end up. The ending was heartbreaking.

I picked this book up a few weeks ago. Read a chapter or 2. It didn’t pull me in. I put it down. I picked it back up 2 days ago. I didn’t want to go to work today. It definitely pulled me in. I have questions. It wasn’t perfectly written. But I really enjoyed the story. Im glad I got to peek into these characters lives and got to know them.

The premise was so intriguing to me as a reader of primarily mystery/thrillers and romance. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish this book after reading 50% of it. I struggled with the slow pace and the long-winded writing style. I enjoyed the Alice chapters far more than the ones told from Mary's point of view. Ultimately, I couldn't get into this book or its characters, no matter how much I wanted to. Fans of slow-burn stories or tales of undying love and loyalty will appreciate this book more than I did.

3.5 / 5 stars

This is not the kind of book that I usually read, the kind of book that is written to manipulate the reader's emotions to make sure that at some point in the story they will cry. It's also the kind of book that is marketed as one genre (romance) that it is absolutely not. The marketing teams will also want you to think this is a book about love, but in the end this is really a book about mental health. That is not a bad thing at all. In fact, the book starts that way, making you think that this is a story about love, but as time moves forward in the story, the layers (and the mystery of what happened to Jim) start peeling away. What the reader, and Mary, end up learning, is that love is not enough.

I listened to the audiobook while reading along with the e-book. I loved how the audiobook narrator distinguished between the different types of London accents and Mary's Irish brogue. What I did find a bit confusing is that the audio contains words and phrases that seem to belong in the UK version of the book. The e-book I read was definitely the US version. It was very confusing in the beginning but eventually I figured out what was happening.

Courtesy of Netgalley I received the ARC of Anywhere for You by Abbie Greaves. Using flashbacks to reveal the background of the current situation was a good tactic. Combining a mystery with themes of relationships, miscommunication, acknowledgment and acceptance kept me glued to this book, especially the second half! The characters unfolded in layers as their stories of love and loss were illuminated. Well done!

While I enjoyed this one, I didn't like it quite as much as I'd expected, judging from the premise. I think I expected there to be more of a time travel element, and if I'd not expected that I might have liked it more. Things I did like: the setting, the supporting characters, the alternate timelines, and it's focus on mental health. If you like Jojo Moyes and Emily Giffin, this might be for you.

Anywhere for You is the first book I have read by Abbie Greaves. I think this is a good book to read over a rainy weekend or a time when you find yourself snowed in at home. Mary works during the day and some nights she helps at a hotline. She has been standing at Ealing Station in London with a sign that simply says “Come Home Jim.” What happened to Jim? One day she broke down and was swearing and screaming at people in the station. Alice goes over to her to comfort her and listens to her story. She decides to help.

The story travels back and forth to the past and to the present. It is a little slow at times. How long can someone hold on to the past? How does one get over a love that was never supposed to end? While depressing at times, the book is also a story of friendship and has several minor characters. I enjoyed the book and felt the author did a good job with the topic of mental illness. Thank you William and Morrow and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.