There's No Place Like Home by Jane Lovering
Isabel, Izzy to her friends, has nothing left to lose when she makes the bravest decision of her life.
A month living under canvas on the Yorkshire Moors with five strangers would not be her idea of a good time, even if there is prize money to be won at the end.
As nature tests them all to their limits, this disparate group come together to face the challenge.
In her own words, Jane Lovering writes stories about "'real' people facing real problems and issues that most of us face at some point in our lives".
There's No Place Like Home is a coming together of five multiple personalities, and as nature tests them all to their limits, this random group come together to face the challenges.
I enjoyed this story; it was well-written, engaging, and easy to read.
I want to thank publishers Boldwood Books, author Jane Lovering and Rachel's Randon Resources for a spot on the tour and a copy to read and review.

It might just be difficult to understand why anyone would sign up to be part of a reality TV show – especially when it involves surviving life under canvas on the Yorkshire Moors in the depths of winter, in pursuit of a giant black cat that might or might not exist. But for Izzy, it’s very much about the money – the daily payment might just help her get things back on an even keel again, and a share of the big prize would really change her life. For high-maintenance posh totty Kanga, it’s the opportunity for her big showbiz break; controlling Seb (who can’t help himself stepping up as their leader) wants to try to change his ways, to show his family who he really is, and hopefully save his marriage; young Ruth, quiet and serious and a touch naive, just wants the opportunity to prove herself. Junior’s on the TV company’s payroll – gruff and muscled, he has the tracking experience, gleaned from his experience pursuing Bigfoot for one of the cable channels. And the initially grumpy Mac? Well, he’s there because his producer brother was one man short – but things are a bit more complicated than that.

I always particularly love the author’s female leads and their distinctive voices, and Izzy was certainly no exception – as the facts about her current situation and her difficult past slowly emerge, I really felt for her and took her firmly to my heart. But she’s not the only one with secrets – there’s a whole series of jaw-dropping revelations, with none of the characters quite what they appear to be. And the way the story unfolds – the development of the characters, the relationships between them, the moments of drama with the hostile environment (particularly the weather) playing its part – is quite wonderful. As always with the author’s books, there’s plenty of humour – the dialogue is superb, and some of the exchanges between the characters had me in stitches. Actually, many of the set pieces had me laughing out loud too – I absolutely loved the episode that sees the whole group huddled together in the toilet hut. And then there’s the mention of Barnsley – I’ll gloss over its relevance, but it’s inspired, unexpected, and very funny.

There is a rather lovely developing romance too – unpromising at first, but building particularly convincingly. And then there’s the emotional content, and all the individuals’ issues and life complications, perfectly handled as always – as the end of the book approached, I really cared for them all and wanted them to get their happy endings and new beginnings. And the whole story, largely character driven, is just fantastic – full of unexpected twists and turns, quite a few really heart-in-mouth moments, others that brought a tear to my eye. And yes, of course I think it’s her best book yet – you really didn’t expect me to say anything else, did you? I really loved it – and so will everyone else.

Izzy finds herself in miserable weather camping with five strangers all as part of a reality TV series that under normal circumstances she would never participate in, but her circumstances are currently far from normal, hence the camping. With her is earnest Sebastian who believes that he once saw something out on the moor and wants to verify while also keeping a secret as to why he is there; posh Kanga who is certain that this opportunity will lead her to greater things; church-sheltered Ruth who is very young, inexperienced and is hoping to start spreading her wings, just not too far; Junior, a tracker who might be as big as the Bigfoot he tracks in the US; and Mac, who at first is a grump but becomes a lot more. With such disparate characters, what could possibly go wrong in Jane Lovering’s There’s No Place Like Home?

As I mentioned in the introduction, one of the things that I love about Jane Lovering’s books is the total unexpectedness. In a genre that is frequented by over-used tropes, Lovering’s book are fresh, taking the reader on an adventure, which is really one of the reasons why we read, different worlds, different experiences.

Izzy’s character is multi-dimensional. She may currently be treading difficult waters but she’s supportive, kind, and level-headed, even to someone like Kanga who frequently doesn’t deserve such kindness. In fact, all of the character are multi-faceted, seeming like real people you might see on a reality TV show.

I confess to not having watched any reality TV, but I could imagine one in which groups of people are out searching for mythical or supposedly-sighted beasts and the fun of it being the meshing of different characters so I don’t think the plot is too far-fetched. It’s just a matter of time. 😉

As for the personal circumstances that Izzy and the other characters are in in their real worlds, those also rang true and endeared the characters to this reader, particularly Izzy and her situation in which she has felt embarrassment, desperation, and humiliation over an event that was not her fault but that has made her stronger and gradually more adamant.

A quick, enjoyable, and heart-felt read with good humor and some hilarious moments.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy reading Jane Lovering's books. This one was a very different story to her other books. It is a different concept to most romantic novels that I had read. I did like it but it's not my favourite book from this Author. I'm not a fan of reality TV shows and I think that I would definitely have enjoyed it more if I liked reality TV.
Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood books for my ARC.

It's an unusual plot for a rom-com: six strangers are put together for a reality TV show set in the Yorkshire Moors.
Each one of them has their reasons to take part in the show and their own secrets. Being forced to spend 10 days together, will they learn something from each other? And will they work together as a unit to find the wild cat that would grant them the money prize?
This is a pleasant story of coming of age and self discovery, a bit different from Lovering's previous books, but very nice and enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC.

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood books for access to this arc.

Izzy and a crew of four others are stuck in a leaking tent out on a Yorkshire moor. If ever there was a time to ominously mutter "Beware the moors!" this is it. Tagged by a grump as the upbeat happy member of the quintet, Izzy fumes a little - she's not that happy either but has Reasons why she is taking part in this bizarre TV reality show to try to discover the truth about a large (not sheep or cow) animal roaming loose in the dales. Izzy is hiding some facts about herself and soon realizes that most if not all of the others are, too, as she somehow becomes the one to whom they all confess. Regardless of how miserable they all are - and with a bad snowstorm hitting them they all are - they also have Reasons for wanting to stick out the whole 30 days of the contest. What will they find on the moors and what will they discover about themselves?


There are some pretty crazy reality shows out there but this one ... it's far out. I, along with Izzy and the others, fairly quickly decided that the TV show was complete bunk and that the producer and audiences would just want to see how these contestants reacted under trying conditions. With them often close to mutiny due to the campsite and their fellow group members, the instances the producer, cameraman, and sound guy showed up got a bit testy. Then a near death event has Izzy and another person opening up and confessing their secrets which adds a further layer of disquiet to Izzy's nerves.


The utter misery of November in a nylon tent is coupled with a few of the contestants suspecting fakes, plants, and ulterior motives of their fellows. What is really going on? Are the tracks and "out of the corner of their eyes" glimpses of "something" being done for ratings or is there really an animal besides a loose dog near the camp? As I read this, I kept scoffing at the idea of a large, wild, cat being loose in Yorkshire. Wouldn't there be sheep carcasses or something? But then the book began to reveal its true purpose.


All five people plus their guide and another person have issues in their lives to deal with. For Izzy, it's homelessness. Living in a tent and eating meh food might have the others complaining but for Izzy it's better than couch surfing or sleeping rough after Something caused her mother to toss Izzy out. Mr. Grump and Izzy quickly form a sort of partnership that morphs into possibly more. For Reasons, Mac senses that Izzy is hiding something. He finally tells her why he has suspicions and this is something that offers Izzy some help dealing with her family problem but is also troubling.

[Spoiler] Mac's former girlfriend was raped and he tells Izzy that he reacted badly. Since then, he's taken the time to talk to people, learn more, and has realized he acted like a shit. I would have liked for him to have mentioned something like that he apologized to the girlfriend for this. But I was also troubled because of how this event was turned into a "learning experience" for Mac. [End spoiler]



The things that are bedeviling the other people are all realistic. What seems a little rushed to me is that Izzy ends up being the one to hear all their confessions and by the time shooting wraps, seems to have helped solve all their problems. It's nice but unrealistic. What I do like - a lot - is that Izzy comes to the realization that she wasn't at fault in the Reason with her mother, she makes contact, and then decides to work through things at her own pace and time schedule. Go, Izzy!


For me, the book ends up being a bit more women's fiction/fiction with a side serving of intro romance. It's good that the romance is more HFN with a hopeful outlook. Oh, and the TV show outcome is actually well done and sorta believable. B-

Took me a few chapters to get into this book, but I persevered as I like Jane's books. Turned out to be a well written, good read.

6 strangers are thrown together as a group on the Yorkshire Moors to look for evidence of a big cat for a new reality tv show. If they can find evidence or even the cat itself there is a cash prize
Izzy is homeless and is running out of places to stay so the money for taking part in the show would pay for a deposit for somewhere she can call home.
Can the group gel together and find evidence even though they are all sceptical that the cat exists at all ?
It was certainly a different read but enjoyed it none the less

There's No Place Like Home by Jane Lovering

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Isabel, Izzy to her friends, has got nothing left to lose when she makes the bravest decision of her life. 

A month living under canvas on the Yorkshire Moors with five strangers wouldn’t normally be her idea of a good time, even if there is prize money to be won at the end of it, but she’s all out of options.

Joining her in this wild goose chase, being filmed for a TV show, are farmer Seb, whose marriage is creaking but who is desperate not to lose his family. Sheltered Ruth who needs an opportunity to show she can make her own decisions. Glamorous socialite Kanga, who has been living a lie. American Junior who has his own secret that has led him there. And last but not least, mysterious and brooding Mac, who Izzy can’t help but be drawn to.

My Opinion

Jane Lovering has written a very interesting plot here - for me this was a first. This didn't read like the previous books I have read by Lovering but I still managed to enjoy it. All of the contestants seem to have something to hide, but can they all work together to earn a share of the prize money? It would have been nice to learn more about Izzy outside the TV show.

This was a nice, pleasant, quick read. An enjoyable read that I would be happy to recommend.

Rating 4/5

There’s No Place Like Home features a very diverse group of people on what seems like a wild goose chase. Or should I say a wild cat chase! This was a reality show challenge with a difference and you wouldn’t have caught me sleeping up on the Yorkshire Moors in a tent in winter, no matter how much money was involved.

Inevitably, some of the contestants are more likeable than others but I found I warmed to them all as I got to know them. They all had their own reasons for taking part in the show and these reasons were as varied as the people themselves. They all had secrets they perhaps didn’t want to reveal initially. It was interesting following the interaction between them and how that dynamic changed as they got to know each other better. As well as finding out about each other, I think it’s fair to say that they all made some discoveries about themselves too.

It was amusing how Izzy seemed to become the agony aunt and confidante of the camp even though she probably felt she was the least together of them all. There is of course a very nicely done romance in the book but it’s not the central theme. As the author herself says none of her leading ladies (or men for that matter) need saved by love but, like us all, they do thrive with a bit of love in their lives.

There’s No Place Like Home makes you think about what really makes a home and the importance of family and friends. But it’s also about resilience, new beginnings and finding out what matters to each individual. There’s No Place Like Home is another warm, uplifting and often funny story from Jane Lovering.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. It was very different to what I would normally read but I thoroughly enjoyed it and it made me laugh out loud. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book. The plot was a nice departure from the usual plots in this genre.

There's No Place Like Home by Jane Lovering
13th January Tour
Pub Date 10 Jan 2023
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Genre :General Fiction (Adult) | Women's Fiction


This is a fresh book I love the idea of 5 adults going to search for creature in the moorlands. Here's we meet Mac, Kanga, Sebastian, Isabel, Izzy.

All these are in this TV show for one month. As we follow each of these through the moors we get to know the better. My favourite are Izzy and Mac and thier growing realtionship through the book. Kanga is not what I expected at frist though as we get to know herself we understand more why she's very self centred.
Sebastian a man who works on a farm who's married.
Ruth is young and naive but has a sparkling personality.

Overall 5/5 a real nice feel good book. I would definitely recommend this for a read.



#NetGalley #blogtour @booksandtonic

Blog Tour will be published on 13th January on Tiktok, Instagram

I'm a big fan of Jane's. This isn't the first book of hers I've read and it certainly won't be the last. She writes books set near where I live which I love.

We learn a lot about the characters and each have their own reasons for being part of the challenge. They could each learn from one another which is true to real life as well.

I'm excited to read more of Jane's books this year.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There's No Place Like Home is not my normal sort of book but after reading the description I was intrigued. It was a totally original concept for this genre and I really enjoyed it. It had a really interesting mix of characters and I couldn't put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

I've read a lot of these rom coms but haven't seen one yet with this plot.
A group of six people live in tents in the winter in Yorkshire Moors, two per tent. It's freezing out but they must stay there, and the concept is similar to the Survivor show. They must wear recording devices almost all the time and they are competing for money. The challenge is they must prove there is a large cat out there in the wild. They must have proof. Is there a large wild cat and will they get their proof? Spending time with people you wouldn't normally give the time of day to is awkward until they start talking to each other and opening up. Each has something they are hiding and their own set of limitations and challenges. Will this group find acceptance in each other and get that acceptance back? Fun story of self-discovery, a coming-of-age story. Heartwarming and uplifting.

Pub Date 10 Jan 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I adored the concept of this book. Bringing six strangers together to film a TV show on the Yorkshire Moors, tracking big cats and surviving harsh weather conditions all came together to create an entertaining and cosy book with a wide range of characters.
My favourite part of this book was actually watching the characters develop/reveal their true selves during the plot. It really made me think about the different ‘layers’ and masks that people wear and for what reasons. All the characters have some unresolved issues, or aspects of their lives they want to hide, and it really made me think about how much we ever really know the people in our lives. Even the most unlikable characters at the beginning started to grow on me – although admittedly, some more than others.
Izzy was an adorable protagonist and her back story made me sad, but her journey made me hopeful. Jane writes about homelessness without stigma or stereotypes and I loved that about Izzy’s character. I know not everybody’s story is the same and many don’t even have what Izzy did but it was still sensitive and challenged a lot of current thinking. I also really enjoyed Izzy’s relationship with Mac and how it developed.
The setting of the Yorkshire Moors was perfect for this concept. Beautiful yet wild and rugged, and dangerous in the right conditions – Jane Lovering really set the scene. There were certainly some unexpected parts of the plot that really brough the Moors to life.
I adored this book. It is set in winter so perfect January reading. It has a little bit of tension and a mix of varied characters and it is the perfect escapism for a usually dreary month.

This was a lovely read to end the year on. It's a reality tv/camp out with other strangers trying to find a big cat on the loose, will they find it? Tempers get heated, romances occur and feuds. But each person who is there has their own reason for being there and all have very different backgrounds and come from different lifestyles. Maybe they could all learn something from each other? It's a coming together story with a beautiful ending for all. I loved Izzy and Macs characters. It's a story full of endurance, learning and new beginnings for all the characters. I really enjoyed it. But some of the chapters were a little long for my personal liking. A well deserved four stars. Could easily have a follow up book to this which I'd love to read. Highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the plot was original and intriguing. I liked the style of writing and the characters in the book as well. I thought it was quite a modern version of a love story and found it very fun and entertaining

There’s No Place Like Home by Jane Lovering is a contemporary adventure novel that entertained me from the start.
The premise is a reality tv show shot in the wilds of the Yorkshire moors, with contestants on the hunt for evidence of a big cat. Financial reward beckons as the group of five and their leader channel their inner Bear Grylls! The bleak wet, winter landscape comes alive under the author’s masterful pen.
They are an eclectic mix of characters from various backgrounds who all want a share in the £250,000 prize money.
At first it is the money that binds them together but as they open up, friendships begin to form.
Everyone is hiding their true identities. As they spend time together, the shutters slowly begin to rise and the true identities shine through.
Everyone wants a place to call home. Sometimes home is not bricks and mortar but home is found in another person.
One character seems to be privy to the secrets of all. Her openness draws others to her, like moths to a flame.
I thoroughly enjoyed There’s No Place Like Home. I casually wandered through the book, joining the characters on a relaxing (for me), jaunt. I was an interested party observing the action, and then – wow! I became a part of the action with heart racing and instincts on high alert, wondering whether to flight or fight! I joined the characters in their abode. What an exciting crescendo.
This is a marvelous book that I can highly recommend – just don’t read it before bedtime – I can pretty much guarantee that you will not be in the mood for sleep!
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.