The Homecoming was a mesmerizing book and very hard to put down. The characters and the twists and turns in the plot keep me reading well into the night. Kate Morton has another big hit on her hands.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC. I am a huge fan of Kate Morton and was excited for this new novel. It's been a number of years since we've had anything new from her so I was really looking forward to this book. The premise was interesting and I was excited to see where she would take us in this book. I was disappointed though. I found this book very long and very repetitive. The book was written from the point of view of Jess as she looked in to her families past, but the technique Kate used was to have Jess read a book written by a fictional author in the story. The book was written in a way that was very slow and very repetitive. At different points in the novel, the author wrote about the events from the perspective of multiple characters, but I often found that there was nothing new added by these different accountings. There were a few small revelations throughout this long novel but we really didn't get to the meat of the matter until the last few chapters. I kept waiting for the book to hook me but it really never did.

I was sorry that this book wasn't what I was expecting and it really could have been tightened up.

A woman is trying to uncover secrets from her family's sensationalistic past that have been kept hidden from the media and herself.

I have read The Forgotten Garden and this novel follows the same formula plotwise. A grandmother raises her granddaughter while trying to protect her secrets. Past and present collides, some investigations take place, and there you have the makings of this story.

I would give this novel 3.5 stars, which felt about 100 pages or so too long. It was quite repetitive with some things being predictable but other finer details not so much. I did enjoy the story but wish it had been edited down quite a bit to make it more faster paced.

Thank you to Netgalley.

I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

2018 - When Jess's beloved grandmother, Nora, falls and is hospitalized, she rushes home to Australia, leaving behind a tattered life in London, and stumbles on a tragic past that will impact her life and the life of Jess's estranged mother. What drove Nora to climb to the dusty, unused attic she'd always warned Jess was unsafe?

1959 - Nora, expecting her much-longed-for baby, is thrust into a mess when her sister-in-law kills herself and three of her children on Christmas Eve, while Nora's brother is away in England. Why would a mother do something so horrific and what happened to the missing youngest child?

This dual-timeline novel is a lush portrait of mothers and daughters, of family ties that sometimes bind too tightly, and of love and loss. Brimming with a kaleidoscope of characters, and deep emotion, this novel is exactly what the reader expects from Morton, if in a more "modern" setting than her previous books. Her prose is beautiful and engaging, the book populated by well-drawn and sympathetic characters. While I had guessed the main mystery early on and found it a bit slow 2/3 of the way through (hence the 4 out of 5 stars) the deliciously tangled mass of twists at the end brought a depth of satisfaction I had not expected.

I have always loved Kate Morton’s books and this historical fiction did not disappoint. I prefer mysteries and that they be historical fiction so Morton hit the mark with this book. The characters are represented by three generations of women . Past secrets and lies haunt the women until it all comes together.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read Homecoming. I have loved all of Kate Morton's novels, including this one.
Three generations of women, Grandmother(Nora) and Aunt ( Isabel), mother(Polly) and daughter ( Jess) are the main characters in this book. It all started in 1959, in Australia and went to present day, 2019. There was a secret kept by Nora, about a murder suicide, 60 years ago in Australia.
Nora's grandaughter Jess, is a journalist living in England.
Jess receives a call that her grandmother Nora has had a bad fall and is in the hospital in Australia. Jess flies to Australia to be with her grandmother. Once there, while seeing her grandmother in hospital, Nora says the oddest things to Jess. The journalist in Jess, can't help herself. She needs to know why her grandmother was trying to get to the attic. That's why she fell. What was up there?
This story goes back and forth from 1959 to 2019. The story that unfolds is beyond what Jess expected to find, involving her Aunt, her grandmother, her Mom and herself.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I think fans of Kate Morton will too! A must read! I give this book 4.5 out of 5.

A split-time read that was intriguing from the get go. The historical aspect deals with the unexpected ans shocking death of several members of one family. The current time is the granddaughter of a character learning about her family history. I enjoyed how it deals with people's relationships with family members and relatives and what people will do for love and for what they want. As the story unfolds, it meanders and leads one a winding path to the end. I did finds parts to be a little slow only because certain things needed to be told to understand the entire story and its conclusion.
I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Set aside a chunk of time to get fully immersed in this one! It’ll demand your attention and you’ll want to read slowly.

You’ll be swept up in Morton’s vibrant and detailed descriptions and her exploration of the definition of family and home. In between the rich tapestry of family, you’ll notice Morton has woven threads of loneliness, loss, purpose, identity and motherhood. Not only are the threads masterfully twined, but the dovetailing of the 2018 and 1959 timelines are expertly done.

The first thing I noticed was how the author was immediately able to pull me into the arms of family and immerse me in her story. When I was shocked by the terrible ‘finding’, I felt like because I had ‘virtually’ lived in Tumbilla for ages, I was searching for answers alongside the other townsfolk. I became part of the backdrop. Solving the mystery was paramount because I was part of the community; it had affected me, too.

I also appreciated the story being told backwards; the horrific event at the start and then backtracking to explain the events leading up to it. I found I was reading for clues and explanations that would allow me to fit this horrific puzzle piece into the framework of the story and allow me to connect other threads from the narrative to it.

The examination into the dangers of living a life defined by secrets and the danger of making room for shades of gray in a black and white moral outlook were thought-provoking.

I loved the symbol of the wren and thought it was wonderful to have such love of literature conveyed throughout the book.

“As Jess stepped out of the shop and onto the pavement, she was filled with the lightness of spirit and free-floating sense of possibility that always claimed her when she had a brown paper bag containing new books under her arm.”

Haven’t we all felt that wonder?!

This eagerly anticipated book lived up to my expectations and I felt, in many ways, it was one of her best as she is now writing about a place with which she’s so intimately acquainted.

I was gifted this book by Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Another epic novel by Kate Morton.

When Jess’s grandmother Nora takes a fall, Jess returns home to Australia to be by her side. Little does she know, her entire family’s tragic history is about to unfold around her. Set alongside an accompanying book-within-a-book, Homecoming is an epic soap opera that brings together mystery, heart and storytelling in a way only Morton can achieve.

I'm a Kate Morton fan, and the GORGEOUS cover of this book made me very excited to read it. This book has all the past-meeting-the-present, dual-timeline, multiple-POV goodness we have all come to expect from this author. I found some parts of the first two-thirds dragged a little or confused me more than usual. However, the final third or so wraps things up in a very satisfying, unputdownable way.

Kate Morton is the master of transporting you to place where time melds into past and present. This is one of my favourite authors, so I was so excited to get an arc copy of this book. The synopsis is everywhere, so I will just mention the things I loved.
Beautiful descriptions of rural Australia. Makes me want to travel there asap.
Amazing characters and character development.
Best grandma character I have read in a long time.
Loved the dual timelines.

I’ll be buying this book April 2023!

Thanks to Simon and schuster, author, and NetGalley for a arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

I always love Kate Morton books and was so excited to get this ARC. Homecoming was no exception although it took me a little longer to get there in this book. I found it dragged a little at times and thought I had it all figured out early on…….until I didn’t. The twists and turns started coming and in the end I found it really enjoyable. Good character development, interesting topic. One thing I didn’t get was how we were told that Nora was so intent on having a big family and then she so easily let the relationshipwith daughter become estranged. That didn’t make sense to me, I guess in the end she just was still just a neglected little girl that wanted the loyalty and undivided attention that she never got from her parents or brother. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon Schuster Canada for the ARC.

Kate Morton’s books are detailed, well developed and atmospheric. This one is no exception. Told in a dual timeline of present and past, the story follows Jess, an unemployed journalist, who travels back to Australia to deal with her sick Grandmother, Nora. Hoping for a quick trip, Jess ends up embroiled in an old tragic scandal involving her family. She ends up learning far more than she ever bargained for.

This is a story of relationships, forgiveness and not taking things at face value. It is a really well written family saga. Morton’s writing style make these complex characters come alive and will leave you reeling.

I would knock half a star off because I felt it could have been a bit shorter. 4.5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kate Morton can write a long story that somehow you still want to read every beautiful, vivid word of. I have loved several of her other books and always feel like when I start one, I know I will be embarking on a true reading adventure. Having read this one, I can say with certainty that Homecoming is a REALLY GOOD story, in my opinion, her best one yet.

I was instantly drawn in to this one. I could see the house so clearly. I was with Percy as he arrived to find what he did. I was seeing London through Jess’ eyes and then her return to Australia. I wanted Nora to be MY grandmother.
Really, all of the characters and the settings were so easy to imagine. I also really enjoyed each of the story lines, both the past and the present, weaving together beautifully parallel, and then the eventual overlapping of all the stories, all the pieces. Somehow even the book story (Daniel Miller’s) within the story was excellent and everything here just worked .

If I have one critique, it’s that I found it a bit jarring when half way through, we suddenly heard from Polly. It initially felt like a strange direction to go in, but it did made sense once her story was being told, and everything we had yet to learn is being revealed bit by bit….Kate Morton is truly a master storyteller.

I absolutely loved Homecoming and will be recommending it to anyone looking for a beautiful book to savour.

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read this advance copy of Homecoming.

There were so many things about this book I loved, and the cover is absolutely one of them. It is just so pretty.
Behind this beautiful cover is a story about the places we live and the places we call home.
We join Jess, after some bad news sends her from London back to her home in Australia, she begins to unravel the threads of deception that have surrounded her entire life.
And we are transported 50 years back to watch the events that will shape Jess’s life before she is ever even thought of take place.
Through loss and love the woman of Jess’s family will be broken and built.
If you are a fan of Kate Morton this book is definitely true to form. If you haven’t tried one of her books yet this will be an excellent place to start.
The descriptions of rural Australia are beautiful and make you want to book a plane ticket.
I love the creative multi perspectives used in this book. And of course the gradual way we are introduced to Jess’s grandmother Nora through the different perspectives.
This lovely book hits shelves April 4 2023.

Thank you to Kate Morton, Simon and Schuster and Netgallery for allowing me to have an advanced copy of this book for review.

Thank-you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the eARC of this book Homecoming. I have loved all of Kate Morton's books and requested a copy of this latest one as soon as it became available.
As typical of Morton's other books, this story is told with a dual timeline, but something different in this one is a book within a book.
Jess is a 40 year old journalist living in London, feeling a little disillusioned with her life and career. She is called back to her native Sydney Australia when her elderly grandmother Nora (who raised her) has fallen and is in hospital. She then begins unravelling a murder mystery that occurred in a small town in South Australia and in the process discovers secrets about her grandmother, her mother and even herself.
Daniel Miller, an American journalist has written a book about the Turner Family Tragedy that happened Christmas Eve 1959. Jess discovers this book in her grandmother's room and begins to read about the horrible events of the murder and the involvement of her own family.
The story unfolds slowly, introducing us to many characters and events, both from the past and present. Along the way the author leaves us little nuggets of information, that we need to look at and decide if they are important to remember!. As with Morton's other books, a paper copy would probably be easier to read, so that the reader can flip back and reread important sections. I found myself making notes, especially in the beginning to keep the characters and events organized in my mind.
Morton does a spectacular job of the setting for this story. She describes in detail the flora and fauna of Australia, and since most of the story takes place in the winter, the reader feels the heat and humidity of the Australian summer. Birds are continually singing and we can easily imagine the fragrant flowers. The old mansions that feature prominently are full of creaks and groans and beautiful old furniture.
The character development was intriguing, if not somewhat disjointed. Some of the people we met early on in the story were left hanging until the end. Jess's mother Polly who we did not really meet til the second half of the book, suddenly was given a prominent role. I really liked her and would have enjoyed meeting her sooner..
This story would inspire good book club discussion, particularly regarding secrets. Who keeps secrets? At what cost do we preserve a secret? How important are family secrets? Can we ask children to keep secrets? Lots of good discussion material here.
In summary, this was an engaging story that I couldn't put down. Kate Morton has done it again.

This book takes place in Australia in two different time periods. I found it slow to start with but it did get more interesting as the story progressed. I felt that the story rambled on a bit and moved forward a little too slowly. I finally got into the story more when I was about half way through. I would have given it a 3.5 stars if that was available.

It is sad how the lies and the secrets of Nora, the grandmother, messed up both her daughter and her granddaughter. It took a long time for the whole truth of the story to come out but when it did you see the effect it had on the family and community.

Polly, Jess's mother, lost out on years with her daughter and Jess missed out on a close relationship with her mother. It is a thought provoking story and had some interesting twists.

I did enjoy this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for an advanced ARC copy of this book.

I would first like to state that Kate Morton is definitely in my top 3 favourite authors. I have absolutely devoured her pervious books and loved them all. This one however, was absolutely terrible!

Firstly, the way in which the book was written was entirely confusing and I was not a fan of the book within a book thing going on. It was very difficult to keep track of what was a memory, what was in the book, and what was in the present day. Like I said, her previous books were great so I have no issues with the bumping back and forth but the execution on this style did not go well.

I also was having a hard time distinguishing when memories became the focus of the paragraph and not just a quick side comment. There was no clear break or transition so you'd be halfway down a paragraph and not have realized you jumped back 50 years.

I also didn't love the various POVs. Towards the end and you are adding more, nope. Just too much.

I will die on the Kate Morton hill, but I think this book is the "we don't talk about Homecoming" type of book.

Thank you ever so much for this ARC. As disappointed as I was, I'm still very grateful to have been able to read it!

The first part was very slow, confusing and way too much descriptions that didn't need too be added.

After i barely got through that the rest of the book was great. Many twists and turns. Great book if you can get past the first part.

Thanks NETGALLEY and publisher.

All thoughts and opinions are my own

I found the first two thirds of this book slow-going; I felt there were too many descriptive details and too few details being revealed about the tragedy. However, the last third of the book was chuck full of twists and surprises! I thought I had everything figured out, but, in fact, what I thought I knew was only the tip of the iceberg. Most of the characters in this book had a secret, something they needed to hide. The ending brings all of this together, brilliantly,

The story is revealed through multiple points of views and excerpts from a character's book-within-a-book, without being confusing. Family relationships, especially between mothers and daughters, is a strong focus of this book.

I would like to sincerely thank Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.
#NetGalley #SimonandSchuster #Homecoming