Letters from the past is an intriguing premise itself, but nothing prepared me for what this book presented! Three generations of women and their secrets, with the plot flowing in alternative POVs, takes the reader on an unexpected journey.

From London to Île de Clair, and outback Australia, there is beauty, serenity, youthfulness, love and bonds that are broken and mended. I loved reading about the flawed sisters, mothers with their secrets and how friendships and love can make you and break you.

This book is definitely a great one, an unmissable journey through emotions.

This book begins with a letter from Susie to her sister Camilla, a letter to be read in the event of her death and what a way to begin! I was totally drawn in and couldn’t wait to get stuck into the story. Unfortunately the first half falls a bit flat as Camilla heads off to London and France to scatter her sister’s ashes and discover a family mystery. Grandmother Nellie had worked as a nanny in England before heading to Australia pregnant and only telling people the father died in the war. When she died in 1998 she sent Susie to see a painting in London and then a series of events unfold concerning the family she used to work for. Camilla is the least interesting of the females in the family and I was a bit disappointed that the promise of that initial letter wasn’t kept but then Part 2 kicks in. Margaret, her mother arrives in the story and the mysteries start to be revealed. It jumps around a bit time wise from current events to Susie in 1998 and Margaret in 1968. I really enjoyed the second part, and overall found this an intriguing and enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Definite improvement on this authors last book, The House of Brides, but still lacking sonething. Could do with some further editing with names and dates often wrong! Premise of story is ok but characters seem incomplete somehow.

Lots of layers in this book, and overall I enjoyed reading it - great characters, lovely setting and overall intriguing and entertaining storyline. Planning to read her other book now! Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I just finished this reading journey and have to say I quite enjoyed it. It was unexpected and the characters were very likeable and relatable. The story unravelled slowly but not how I expected it which is my favourite reading circumstance!

This is the first book from this author that I have read and it is a well written story that takes in the lives past and present of woman from one family two sisters Camilla (Mills) and Susie and their mother Margaret there is also Margaret’s mother Nellie that plays a part in this one as well, it starts in Australia and then we travel to England and France, the story is told from different points of view and some in the form of letters, it was a compelling story with many twists and turns and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Susie Anderson is the youngest daughter to Margaret and Bill she has grown up on an outback station in Western Australia and is often in trouble at home, she couldn’t be more different from her older sister Mills who seems to be always getting her out of trouble, when at the age of nineteen she causes more problems she decides that a gap year in England would be perfect for her so off she goes never dreaming what this time would do to her.

When Susie suddenly dies just before her fortieth birthday, everyone is shocked and when Mills is handed a bunch of letters from Susie requesting that she retrace her journey all those years ago and scatter her ashes in places that meant so much to her and also uncover some secrets that had been kept for many years about the family. Mills is not normally a person to jump in feet first but this time she does and what she finds is a story of regret, sadness and so much more.

It took me a bit to get into this one until I got to know the characters and had a feel for the story but when I did it was a book I didn’t want to put down, so many secrets that start way back with Nellie and then Margaret and then Susie who uncovers so much but didn’t quite get to the truth I think, until Mills arrived and then Margaret and together they got to the bottom of it all. There are many emotions through this story and such beautiful settings, I really liked Susie I felt for her so much she was caring and vulnerable and I liked the other characters probably except for one. This is a great story and one I would highly recommend.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this.

After Susie's sudden death, her sister Camilla receives a set of letters, to be read in order, sends her on a journey from Australia to London and a small French Island.

The story shifts from the 'present' time to 1998, showing us Susie's journey from London to the small French island, as well as the people she meets that would change her life drastically.

Starts off a bit slow, but then hooks you in. A couple of good twists, that left me both heartbroken and very angry. But despite this, I really enjoyed the read.

Throughly enjoyed this family drama with a family mystery inset.
Camilla ‘ Millsy’ the eldest, has been the stable, unadventurous sister, while younger Susie has always been the wild child. After a traumatic accident on the family property involving their mothers beloved horse Susie decides to travel overseas. But on her unexpected early return, she seems to have lost her zest and just floats through life.
On Susie’s untimely death just before her 40th birthday, she leaves some letters for Millsy to open at certain locations overseas, with a request to spread her ashes at these places. Will there be some answers in the letters to what happened to Susie all those years ago.
This is a dual timeline story, between the present day and Susie in 1998.
It was extremely easy to follow the story lines between the ages. I enjoyed all the characters and the flow of the story was well paced. It certainly had me guessing what the family mystery was right till the end.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

The Way From Here by Jane Cockram is such a great read! It truly had it all …. twists and turns that I simply did not see coming. The perfect balance of emotional investment combined with family drama, with a touch of mystery and intrigue.

‘A promise to myself that one day this story will be told. Even as I write them, I worry about getting the words down right, so I have a crazy idea. Reading the words is not enough. I want you to walk in the hushed halls of the National Gallery of London, to breathe deeply in the salty island air of the Île de Clair and shelter in the green gardens of Pond Cottage. I’m going to ask you to visit these places and do something for me. And because I’m dead and it’s my last request, you’ ll have to do it!’

What attracted me from the outset was the concept. Susie unexpectedly dies just before her fortieth birthday, shocking everyone. Her sister, Camilla, then receives a set of letters where Susie requests they be read in order and at specific locations of where to scatter her ashes. The inclusion of the letters was genius, on top of first person narratives from both sisters (and the mother at a later date) it really added another dimension to the tale. Camilla then sets out on a journey following the footsteps of the trip Susie had made in 1998.

‘She was here because her sister wanted to tell her something she hadn’t had the courage to tell her when she was alive. It was never going to be easy.’

The first part of the book established both sisters in the past and present and I thought I was in for a solid reflective and introspective read. Then bang! Halfway through the first of what would be several twists hit the story. Now I was fully hooked! This was a story that would involve three generations of the same family and would prove to be shocking to some, if not all, members involved. Slowly, Jane tells the story moving seamlessly between character voices and timelines - it was, in fact, faultless. Family secrets slowly unfurled as its members come to realise past mistakes and regrets.

‘Nostalgia is laced with sadness and regrets. The could-haves and should-haves. Do you have any of those, Mills?’

I have nothing but praise for Jane’s writing and the way she pulled all the various threads of this intriguing tale together for a most satisfying story. It is about families and the often difficult relationships, yet, it is also about life and meaning, all set against a backdrop of some picturesque locations - from Australia, to France, to England.

This book, with such an original plot, is one full of intrigue and drama set across three generations of women. There are secrets that, when revealed, will have lasting impact on all involved. The melding of voices through the sisters and especially the letters is unique and bittersweet. I simply can't wait to read what future stories Jane has lined up for us next.

‘… the future I looked forward to then hasn’t turned out the way I expected. They say youth is wasted on the young, but it feels to me like not a moment is wasted - we carry our youth with us forever. How I felt when I was sixteen, who I loved when I was nineteen, what I regretted at twenty-one - none of this goes away. It’s all me, it’s all still here.’





This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

I am so glad that this one popped up on my radar, The Way from Here was a wonderful read. Emotional and tense in all the right places with a clever, slowly unfolding mystery that kept me guessing right to the end. I loved how this story focused on multiple generations from the same family with secrets and lies nearly everywhere you turn. This novel is a great insight into how everyone, no matter how seemingly perfect, has something to hide – whether they want to hide it or not.

One of my favourite things about this novel are the relationships, especially the familial ones. The relationship between the two sisters – no matter how strained – was what really drew me into the story. As a sister myself, I know how intense that relationship can be, in both a positive and negative sense. This made the letters written by Susie, the main character Camilla’s sister, before her death even more emotionally charged – even with the strangeness off the request that is included in these letters.

The letters made up one part of the multiple perspectives throughout the novel, these covered multiple time periods as well which took a little bit to get used. I found I tuned in to the tone of each perspective once I was used to it. The multiple perspectives allowed the mystery to slowly unravel itself, both from the readers perspective and from Camilla’s too. I loved the inclusion of the letters themselves adding a third main perspective that helped to answer as many questions as it created for Camilla as she read.

This novel was cleverly plotted and emotionally intricate – a study of family secrets and what they can do to the relationships within it. It is written in such a way that it starts off slow and ambling in a beautiful way with the beginning of Camilla’s trip, but the pace soon quickens until it felt for me that it was twist after twist in a cluster at the end. I felt this worked though, and amplified Camilla’s feelings over everything she had just found out.

I love the way that Cockram writes. She paints a beautiful picture of mostly idyllic surroundings, further emphasising the confusion and hunger for understanding that the characters were experiencing. The characters were all believable and multi-layered, with some that I even grew to dislike as people with how their actions created a ripple effect through the family the story followed. I recommend this novel to anyone who loves a beautifully written, multi-generational mystery with genuine characters and a clever plot.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for sending me this free eARC (eAdvanced Reader Copy). I am leaving this review voluntarily. This title will be published 2nd March 2022.

This is a story with a similar premise to PS I Love You but it also reminded me of One Italian Summer my Rebecca Serle (author of In Fives Years and also released in March).

This is a family drama mystery. When Susie has a fatal accident prior to her fortieth birthday, she leaves behind a stack of letters for her sister Camille. She requests that her sister follow the letter instructions and scatter her ashes in places that were memorable in Susie’s life.

Camille and Susie where close growing up, however their very different personalities had caused an unspoken divide - Susie the spontaneous risk-taker without a plan and Camilla - structure-loving, tightly wound.

From her quiet home in Australia, Camille is sent to bustling London and a small, idillic and picturesque island in France where Susie spent her early twenties. Along the way, she uncovers secrets that Susie discovered about their family, as well as the reason why Susie seemed different when she return home from Europe.

I loved the pace of this one. The build up of the story occurs in conjunction with discoveries and revelations. You don’t have to wait for the good stuff in this one. A well thought out plot, vivid characters and colourful atmosphere, I thoroughly enjoyed it all unfold.

Thank you @netgalley and @harlequinaus for sending me this advance copy in return for my honest review.

When Susie Anderson unexpectedly died on the eve of her fortieth birthday, everyone was shocked. She was too young. But when her sister Camilla (Mills) received a package in the mail from Susie, which held six letters, written and marked for Mills to read in order, she found herself setting off first to London. Susie had been travelling Europe back in 1998 and the letters saw Mills following in her footsteps, discovering what Susie saw and did all those years prior. Mills also had Susie’s ashes which she was to scatter in certain special places.

When Mills was on île de Clair in France, the story in the letters changed. The secrets that had been long hidden were slowly coming to light. With Mills and Susie’s mother, Margaret, joining her on île de Clair, Margaret’s secrets also began to be told. From Margaret’s mother Nellie, the girls’ grandmother, through Margaret and then to her daughters, life as it was written in the past came through to the present. How would the outcome affect the Anderson family? Would there be peace and tranquility once the secrets were told?

The Way From Here by Aussie author Jane Cockram is an excellent, twisty, emotional novel which I had trouble putting down. The intrigue and poignancy of the whole tangled web was incredibly well written, and not once did I have trouble keeping up. I enjoyed the characters (well, most of them!) and found the closeness of Margaret and Camilla very special. The Way From Here is my first by this author and it won’t be my last. Highly recommended.

With thanks to HarperCollins Publishers AU via NetGalley for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

A spellbinding story about family connections, from the Australian coast and into the future on far away shores, loss and a mystery that will keep you turning the pages.
Sisters Susie and Mills have drifted apart over time, but circumstances lead Mills on a journey of discovery and enlightenment. I loved reading about the different lifestyles but same love between sisters, the secrets and travels and what the future may bring.
It’s amazing the family secrets that are kept, sometimes for many years! I became totally engrossed by the idea of unearthing the skeletons in the closet.


Thanks so much to Harlequin Australia HQ, NetGalley and Jane Cockram for the opportunity to read this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My rating:

Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Writing: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Character development: 4 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for readers of:

Women’s Fiction
General Fiction

Review:

This is a well written story, very atmospheric and vivid. It feels like you are really there, travelling with the characters from the beautiful harsh Australian outback to the beautiful Il de Claire and Southern England. The characters are interesting and complex, their actions are described with enough detail to make them realistic but at the same time there is an air of mystery, things are not the way they seem. Secrets lurk everywhere and you never quite sure what is happening or has happened in the past. This made the story very captivating and intriguing I thought it was a great book, original, and full of intrigue

Review copy provided by Netgalley at no cost to me.

Thank you Netgalley and publishrs HQ Fiction.
This is an intergenerational story of a grandmother, mother, and two grand daughters. The Grandmother, Nellie, was an unmarried mother in London. She left England and emigrated to Australia where she brought up her daughter, Margaret. Margaret and her husband lived in the remote Kimberley district of Western Australia. The daughters, Camilla (Mills) and Susie left home and made their own lives in the city.
Susie was preparing for her 40th birthday party when she had an unfortunate accident. She left letters for her sister, Mills with instructions that they were to be opened only when she reached London, Île de Clair in France and then Cornwall. Susie had been to those places on her overseas travel experience when she was young and vulnerable. The events on the idyllic Île de Clair left her shattered and she came back to Australia a more subdued person. However she never talked about what happened to her. Mills, and later on her mother, slowly uncover some family secrets. Of course leading her and her mother to re-evaluate their lives.
A very enjoyable read.

THE WAY FROM HERE is a powerful, multi generational story that truly captures the reader. Sisters Susie & Camilla (Mills) couldn't be more different, and on Susie's sudden death, she leaves letters for Mills asking for her ashes to be spread in various locations, which in doing so pushes the less adventurous Mills out of her comfort zone, and finds her way to discovering family secrets that have been hidden for several generations. The characters are strong and likeable, which makes this an easy read. Whilst there is some to-ing and fro-ing of the timelines, I didn't find it difficult to follow, the book is well written and I would highly recommend to others looking for a page-turning read.
Thank you to Netgalley for a review copy in return for an honest review.

This was a great book to read when unable to travel. Through a request from her deceased sister, Camilla travels to London and then onto île de Clair, a small island off the French coast. Having left Camilla a series of letters to be read at specific locations, Camilla (now a married mother of two boys) tries to work out what happened to Susie back in 1998 when she abruptly returned from an overseas trip that had changed her.
It soon becomes apparent that a complex web of deceit and betrayal led Susie to believe she had fled a serious situation for which she may have been to blame. Camilla tries to piece it all together, but the locals on the island seem determined to keep her in the dark.
Halfway through the book a twist brings realisation that the story involves not just Susie but possibly her grandmother Nellie as well. Family secrets start to be revealed and Camilla is shocked to find that she really knew very little about the lives of her sister, grandmother and possibly even her mother.
Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

‘Where there’s one secret, others follow.’

Three generations of women in one family, each generation holding its secrets close. Nellie, the late grandmother, her daughter Margaret, and Margaret’s daughters Camilla (Mills) and Susie. When Susie, the more adventurous sister, suddenly dies, Mills receives a bundle of letters from her. Susie stipulates that Mills visits several different places and scatter some of Susie’s ashes at each place. Despite her husband’s objections, Mills undertakes the journey from Australia to several locations in the UK and France. Mills hopes that undertaking this journey will help her to better understand Susie.

As Mills visits the places specified by Susie, she meets some of the people important to her sister and gradually learns some of the secrets that Susie, their mother Margaret, and grandmother Nellie have.
The story unfolds slowly: each location is well described, and each character has a part to play as the secrets come to light. The story shifts between past and present, with some unexpected twists as the past comes to light. Jealousy, rivalry, and love each have a part in this story.

It took me a little while to really get into the story, but once I was fully engaged, I could not stop reading.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia HQ for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

After Susie dies suddenly, her sister Camilla receives a set of letters, sending her on a quest from Australia to London and a small French island. Susie had travelled after school and returned heartbroken, changed. What happened on that trip, and why is it now so important that Camilla puts her own shaky marriage on hold to travel across the world and fulfil her sister’s dying wish?

Starts off a bit slowly, but then hooks you in. A couple of good twists.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.
I was disappointed to discover that this works across several timeframes, moving from one to another between chapters. I prefer a more linear approach. I am, however, almost converted. The generational story told here emerges so powerfully because of the way the story unfolds and the way we are drawn into the lives of each woman in her generation while finding the connecting threads.

The worlds are created around us. Every decision makes sense in the context to which we are being drawn.

The grandmother of the first generation story is Nellie. I am currently researching and trying to write an account of, the family history of my grandmother, who was also Nellie. There are secrets in her life and her family which I’ve struggled to uncover, understand and explain. This book has given me a much greater confidence and context. It provides a credible, empathetic world making sense of what must have been the experience of many women in many times and generations.

I will also recommend this to my Crime Fiction Book Club. It is certainly not traditional crime fiction, but could, I think be considered and discussed in the context of that genre.