It’s a little bit difficult to make this book review without telling too much of the story, I’ll try, I promise!
Being a parent is not something easy, you want to help them as much as you can, but it’s not an easy task, so many factors are involved that it’s easy to lose yourself in the process. This is a story about motherhood, love and trust; beautifully written and with a real touch in every page, it’s quite impossible to not fall in love with this small family.
Robin, Amber and Fay love each other, but they do not always know how to transmit this feeling, it’s not always easy and sometimes our past puts walls when we don’t want them. When Robin has to return to her mother’s house after decades without seeing her, she knows it will not be easy, but she is ready to accept her moods for a few weeks only to take care of her. Everything will change when Amber, Robin’s daughter, will be added to the equation; daughter, mother and grandmother. Faye is a very strict person, but maybe with the right pressure, will her inside walls fall down and be able to let her emotions show?
As you can see, this is an emotional story; don’t expect super tragic situations or twists, this is a lovely story, something we could all relate to and that it will make us rethink our relationship with our parents.
A story to read in one sitting and to make us remember that we are loved. Are you ready for “Under One Roof”?

I loved this book so much, there wasn't a single thing I didn't like about it.

I've always loved a trip back to the eighties, and this book was full of nostalgia. From the angsty teenager 'Dear Debbie' letters, a bedroom full of memories, the playlist, and THE HAIR, how many cans of hairspray did we go through trying to recreate those new romantic styles?

Who doesn't love a good treasure hunt? This was a fabulous addition to the story, and I could visualise myself alongside our protagonists, solving riddles, hoping to patch this fractured family back together again.

Well written, with some realistic characters, all with their own flaws, and foibles.

Heartwarming, and emotive, wrapping you in a blanket of warm fuzziness.

Many thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for my tour spot.

Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really enjoyed this story, but perhaps if it was with memories from the 90s it would have touched me even more as I would also have memories from then.

Although there is some romance in this story, it focuses a lot more on mother daughter relationships. The very strained one between Robin and her mother Faye. Faye was never loving and didn’t even seem to like her daughter Robin. Robin on the other hand loves her daughter Amber a lot and although Amber is already nearly an adult and already away at uni Robin can’t help meddling and being too involved, so the complete opposite of her own mother.

While on a 30 year old treasure hunt these 3 women, Robin, Faye and Amber get to know each other a lot better and get more of an understanding what shaped them into the type of people they are.

Alongside these relationships within her family Robin also reconnects with childhood best friend and boyfriend. Can the three of them become as close as they once were or has the 30 years apart pushed them too far from each other?

I already own quite a few other books by Samantha Tonge, but have not yet read them. Now that I have had a taste of her writing I can’t wait to read more of her books and maybe the next one I read will be a 5⭐️ read overall. Perhaps if Yul had made me swoon I would also have rounded this book up to 5 stars, but he wasn’t really my cup of tea.

Wasn’t my cup of tea.
I read it while I was in a romance groove and thought that I could switch things up a bit genre wise, but alas the writing style wasn’t for me and the plot didn’t engage me as much as I hoped it was.
This obviously doesn’t mean that this book is a bad book or that it won’t appeal to you.
If you’re searching for something that doesn’t include romance but discusses the hardships of loss and the beauty of self discovery! Then pick up this book and create your own opinion on it!!

I have come to expect well-written and entertaining books from Samantha Tonge, but this one is special. There is unexpected depth in this very easy-to-read, seemingly simple story of three women, representing three generations of one family.

Robin ran away from home when she was 16 and, although she did see her mother Faye once when her own daughter Amber was born, it wasn’t enough to break through the animosity and bridge the gap between them. Now, 48-year-old, divorced and recently made redundant Robin is asked by her Uncle Ralph to go back to her home village in greater Manchester to take care of Faye who has had a nasty fall. You’d think Robin’s mother would be grateful for having someone to look after her for a few weeks until her cast comes off and her bruises fade, but no, Faye doesn’t want any help or support, especially not from her estranged daughter who left her in the summer when Faye’s husband/Robin’s dad passed away. But Robin isn’t the same firey teenager with little life experience- she has matured and learned how to deal with challenging situations and a lot of this experience has come from being a mother herself. When her sweet, smart, outspoken, independent, eighteen-year-old daughter has a bit of a crisis with student accomodation, the simplest solution is to move in her grandmother’s house and get to know Faye and the secrets her family holds.

I loved the way the story focused on the three main characters (a bit more on Robin and Faye) which allowed the author to really develop them and dig deep into their feelings and their motivations. All of this without becoming too long and boring. There is a wonderful treasure hunt with its enigmatic clues- the last gift left by Robin’s father to the two people he considered most precious in the world. Of course, Faye and Robin do need Amber’s help to not only with the mysterious anagram, but also with their own uneasy mother-daughter relationship. There are also great references to 80s (including some fashion gems a lot of readers are going to sigh over nostalgically). And there are Dear Debbie! letters written by teenage Robin that bring a bit of levity and show how difficult it is (some say impossible) to give life advice to a teenage girl. The secondary characters are memorable in their own way- e.g. Tara, Yul, Blanche, even absolutely adorable Hoover…They do not take away from the protagonists, but rather add and enhance their stories by providing valuable details that let us understand what happened and empathise.

While my own family is nothing like Robin’s, reading this book brought back a lot of memories from when my grandmother was still alive and I could observe her relationship with my mother and realise for the first time in my life why my mother behaved in certain ways.

A well-written, thought-provoking, compelling and entertaining read from a very talented author who keeps delighting her fans with every new release. Highly recommended to anyone who likes stories about families in general and mother-daughter relationships in particular, life, time, second chances, forgiveness and understanding.

Thank you to @boldwoodbooks @netgalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.
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Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources @samanthatongeauthr for inviting to their book tour.
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My thoughts…
It got better. This is my first book from Samantha Tonge. It took me awhile to finally connect with the MC. She was too dramatic and too much in denial for my taste. But, I’m glad I stuck to it because, the stories of these three generations of women had many layers. The plot was character driven, and the stories that unfolded were quite intricate. What I really appreciated were all the 80s reference. It seemed like I was reading my high school years.

I loved the concept of the novel of mother/daughter/and granddaughter living together and forced to deal with their issues. There were so many secrets. I guessed what happened to Robin, but still found it utterly heart-breaking. As were the secrets between mother and daughter. There was a lot of realism in the tensions in the three generations. I also think that the author had it spot on when discussing how life was/is for these three different women. It was good to see characters in a family whose relationships were far from perfect, as it felt very relatable. I could clearly picture them as a family who might live down the road.

The nostalgia! How could we not fail to mention the 1980’s, the clothes, the music, the hair, all of it which added another layer to Robin’s back story and gave a vibrant picture of her teenage life. I’m sure many readers will enjoy this trip down memory lane. Although this wasn’t my era, I think the problems and worries of teenage life transcended the generations. The treasure hunt – such a clever idea. I followed it all the way and I never saw the outcome coming. Hoover the dog was utterly sweet – such a personality. He added that little bit of extra humour to the story. As I said at the beginning, a novel of many hidden gems – well worth a read. With thanks to Boldwood Books, Rachel’s Random Resources and NetGalley for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a great story about family and mystery. I loved the characters and the story, it was such a lovely book to read.

We get to read about three generations of women living under the same roof. The main character, Robin, has had minimal contact with her mum since she left home at 16 years old. She agrees to go back to her mothers house after she has a fall. I thought Robin was a great main character, I can imagine she is a relatable character to those who grew up in the 60s.

Faye, Robins mother, is a stubborn character and is reluctant to let Robin look after. When she realises how much she needs help she lets her daughter stay. It is interesting to see this relationship between the pair.

Then we meet Robin’s daughter, Amber. They seem to have a difficult relationship as well. Once Amber moves into her grandmothers house, we get to see a lovely bond between Amber and Faye.

One thing brings all the women together, a treasure map which Robin’s dad made before he died. They decide to come together to solve it. I enjoyed following their adventure while they worked out the last treasure map.

I really liked how the author portrayed the characters through their generation differences. I loved being able to revisit Robin’s childhood bedroom, I thought having the old letter written to an agony aunt really highlighted teenage Robin. These letter showed the reader what Robin and Faye’s relationship was really like.

Under One Roof is very much focussed on the relationships between three generations of one family: grandmother, mother and grand-daughter. There are some really touching parts but also, the humour that comes from everyday life and also the sadness where these relationships have drifted apart. As the story develops, you can see more and more that the three women have in common and the reasons behind their past thinking.

Coming back to her childhood home is unsettling for Robin but she begins to look at her adult life in London through new eyes and to re-assess how she wants to be. Full of nostalgic references to Manchester in the 80's, I really enjoyed the descriptions of the city and its landmarks from the past. With character development and a few surprises within the plot, which really shine a light on people's behaviour, I found this to be a totally satisfying read which made me want to know what happened next.

In short: Family dynamics take centre stage
#BlogTour

I know that every time I read a book by Samantha Tonge, I think it is my favourite, and this time, this book is most definitely my favourite! Under One Roof is a story that really immersed me into the lives of three generations of the same, fractured family.

The main protagonist Robin was a teen in the 1980s, which completely transported me back to my teenage years in the 1980s. One of my grandparents was still alive and living in Manchester in the 1980s, and I loved to visit her, combining it with getting the bus into Manchester and spending hours looking at everything in Affleck’s Palace (now just called Afflecks), which was, and in all honesty still is, one of the coolest places in Manchester.

Robin had a difficult childhood because of her relationship with her hard to please mother Faye. Following the death of Robin’s father, who was the glue keeping the family together, and at the tender age of 16, Robin ran away to London with her boyfriend Yul and never went back.

Years later, Robin is encouraged to go and look after Faye following an accident. At the same time, Amber, Robin’s daughter is struggling in her first term at university in Manchester, and the situation leads to all three women temporarily living under one roof.

I loved the way the three women heal their fractured relationships by doing the final treasure hunt that Robin’s dad had left for Robin and Faye when he was working away and died suddenly.

The inclusion of a slightly naughty dog called Hoover helped bring them all together. I think perhaps one of my miniature schnauzers should have been called Hoover, there are many similarities!

I can’t deny that the reminiscing of the time capsule of Robin’s teenage bedroom untouched since the 1980s was truly wonderful, and I particularly loved the teen magazines with their agony aunt pages and the responses.

This was such a heart-warming story about family secrets and the need to gain perspective with regards to the problems that seemed insurmountable at the time.

Under One Roof by Samantha Tonge is a poignant and warm story with a heavy but very enjoyable dose of 80s nostalgia.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review, and for including me on the blog tour for Under One Roof!

I thoroughly enjoyed this family fiction story, featuring mother/daughter relationships, repairing them while getting to know each other again, and what can happen when you return home after being away for so long. All of the 80’s flashbacks were so much fun, too. And the letters to the magazine - reminded me of reading all of those columns in seventeen, YM, and others as a teen. I heartily recommend it if you love a story about fractured family coming together with a dose of nostalgia!

I have been a fan of Samantha and her work for a few years now. I love the charming, funny and ultimately feel good stories that she writes. I read the synopsis of ‘Under One Roof’ and it certainly sounded as though it ticked all the aforementioned boxes. I was spot on too because I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Under One Roof’ but more about that in a bit.
I loved the concept of this story – the fact that three generations of stubborn but strong female characters are forced to live together under one roof due to circumstances that are really beyond their control. Old habits die hard though and the after effects of long held grudges still rankle many years after the grudge was first formed. I felt a lot of empathy towards all three ladies and I ended up comparing their family to my own. Believe me, my family certainly know to carry on a grudge and our motto should be ‘a grudge is for life not just for Christmas’. I can’t say that I would consider any of the ladies as a friend but as time went on I grew to understand them a bit better and my feelings towards them warmed a bit.
It didn’t take me long at all to get into ‘Under One Roof’. In fact as soon as I read the synopsis I knew that there was a strong chance that I wouldn’t be able to put the book down for any length of time. I picked the book up only intending to read a couple of chapters to say that I had started reading the book but I ended up becoming so wrapped up in the story and in the lives and loves of the three ladies that I was still sat there reading over two hours and several chapters later. It soon became clear to me that reading ‘Under One Roof’ would became addictive. I must be psychic because that’s exactly what happened. My Kindle travelled everywhere with me as I couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘Under One Roof’ and I had to say goodbye to the three ladies. I found ‘Under One Roof’ to be a delight to read with lots of laughs and heart warming moments.
‘Under One Roof’ is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Samantha Tonge. She certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draw them into what proves to be a compelling story. Samantha clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the way in which she describes them. She describes them so vividly and realistically that they seem just as real as you and I. For me the story hits the ground running and maintained a gentle pace, which suited the story that Samantha is telling. I love the way in which Samantha weaves drama and humour into the story. I love the way in which Samantha makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story and at the centre of the action. That’s how I felt at any rate.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Under One Roof’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Samantha’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.

Under One Roof was very poorly written with little character development and a story line that was impossible to follow.

Three generations literally under one roof (such a fitting title!) is the opportunity needed for perceptions to be challenged and truths to be revealed.

Robin, at a crossroads in her life, revisits more than her non-existent relationship with her mum when she’s back at the family home in the Peak District. I enjoyed the memories that came to life for me … I read those magazines and had the posters on my wall too! Great use of the clothes we wear to portray how we’re feeling and what we want the world to see.

Faye, seemingly poles apart from Robin with no common ground, shows a different part of herself when her granddaughter also comes to stay. I enjoyed watching Faye and Amber’s relationship flourish.

Amber, big changes in her life and not knowing quite what to choose, is the force behind continuing the treasure hunt. She’s wise for her years and determined to shape a better outcome.

I have to be honest, I didn’t feel a connection with the characters for a while. But as the three women continue on their quest to find out the answer to the final treasure hunt, I became totally invested in them. Robin and Faye (and to a lesser extent Amber) snuck into my heart. A couple of times I had tears.

I made guesses about underlying reasons and events but there’s something that came as a huge surprise to me. OMG, really! I wouldn’t have ever guessed. It wasn’t even on my radar. And it changes EVERYTHING. It’s brilliant! When you’ve read a LOT of books, you’re always on the look-out for something unique. And this is it.

Under One Roof is a story that reminds us to look below the surface. To communicate openly and with love. That nothing is insurmountable.

Highly recommended.

After the trauma of her Father’s sudden death Robin flees her family home at only sixteen, leaving everything behind including her cold, unfeeling Mother. When years later Robin receives a letter saying her estranged Mum has had a fall she finds herself torn between her duty to help and the painful memories that returning to her childhood home would bring, but after a little persuasion from her Uncle she’s soon en-route barrelling head first towards the past.

Thrown back into her old life she discovers things haven’t stood still in her absence and her Mum has adapted her life as a single woman, despite the fragility her accident has accentuated. Robin quickly discovers whilst some things have been changed beyond recognition that her ‘secret’ childhood bedroom in the attic has remained untouched since she left……bring on some 80’s nostalgia! Whilst reacquainting herself with the memories she thought she had left in the past Robin discovers a treasure map made by her Dad before his final work trip. Having been hidden all this time could solving it’s mystery help bring Mother and Daughter together again as her Dad had intended or will it take a little help from another source?

This book is Sam’s first with a brand new publisher, Boldwood, and despite using this switch to take her writing in a different direction she has retained everything I adore about her books. Tonge’s writing style flows beautifully making reading an absolute dream plus she writes such amazing, fully fleshed and realistic characters and Under One Roof is no exception.

This wonderfully complex multi-generational story takes some really difficult and thought provoking topics thrusting them firmly into the light for examination. These are then explored in-depth by a host of realistic and flawed characters as they navigate relationships and the past. I myself am estranged from my Mother and I appreciated the way Sam has approached this topic showing the true struggle to try and rebuild relationships as apposed to the quick fix we often get in books when dealing with family rifts.

I absolutely loved the inclusion of the secret 80’s bedroom which I believe was the inspiration for the story itself. It really added a fun, nostalgic element to a story that was at times hard to read. Being born in the early 80’s I’m sure some of the nods to the era will have gone over my head, but I really did enjoy learning more about Robin through the frequent inclusion of her Dear Debbie letters from her teenage years.

Under One Roof is yet another winning book and in my opinion Tonge just keeps getting better and better with each and every book published. This book is filled with secrets, misunderstandings, family history and complicated relationships and I just couldn’t put it down – when I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about it! If you haven’t had the pleasure of this authors writing yet then I urge you to pick one of her books up; you won’t be disappointed.

JUST A NOTE TO SAY THAT THIS BOOK DOES HAVE SOME CONTENT WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY BE TRIGGERING HOWEVER COULD BE DEEMED AS SPOILERS SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS BOOK PLEASE DO SOME RESEARCH BEFORE READING.

This is an emotional and insightful multi-generational story. Robin returns to her family home, years after she left, to look after her mother after a fall. Their damaged relationships seem unlikely to repair until the appearance of Amber, Faye's granddaughter, who she has never met. The characters are believably flawed and initially unwilling to seek anyone's viewpoint but their own. A treasure hunt devised by Robin's late father is the means to revisit the past and offer hope for reconciliation and understanding in the present. Engaging, this draws the reader into the women's past and present lives.

I received a copy of this book from Boldwood Books via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Robin returns to her childhood home for the first time in a very long time out of a sense of duty to look after her mother Faye after a fall. Their relationship is tense to say the least and full of unspoken regrets and resentment. Samantha Tonge portrays the tension and passive aggressiveness really well whilst also crating vulnerable characters who actually need each other more than they think.
Faye is sharp tongued and very negative about her daughter. As the story moves forward (and we find out more through flashbacks to Robin’s teens) this is explored in depth and has been going on for most of robin’s life. It also builds a lovely relationship between Robin and her now deceased father and how hard he worked to try and forge a better relationship between mother and daughter. Despite Faye being so cold towards Robin, I really felt for her. It became clear that her behaviour wasn’t always as it seemed, and it was so difficult for her to accept any help even though things were really difficult for her.
Robin’s daughter Amber then arrives to also stay which leads to some very deep soul searching from Robin as she finds herself mirroring some of her own mother’s behaviours.
Whilst searching through her childhood belonging, Robin finds an unopened scroll from one of her dad’s Sunday treasure hunts. Could this be the things to bring the women back together?
This story has so many layers and I love how it is told using three generations of women from the same family. As always, Samantha skilfully weaves an intricate, character driven plot but in a way that is fairly light to read. The emotion and atmosphere between the three women is well created and as a reader, I went through their journey with them; experiencing all the tension, pent up anger and sadness carried by all of them.
Under One Roof is a complex and riveting tale depicting the intricate family relationships. It’s not always fluffy and full of close relationships in real life and Samantha portrays this with tenderness and reality. I highly recommend this book.

I DNF this book! I couldn’t stand the MC, I thought she was overbearing and completely in denial about how treated her mother and daughter.. Ive read previous books from this author and loved them.

An emotional story that captured my heart.
I could understand some of Robin’s emotions towards her mum, and I was intrigued to see how everything would turn out.
Some interesting twists and I enjoyed the 80s nostalgia too.

This was a brilliant read! It was heartbreaking and entertaining. A sad but heartfelt, warm and entertaining read with the perfect ending!