I was captured by the idea of a mother and daughter living on an Airstream and roaming around the country.
I didn’t expect the major turn that the book took After Eva’s disappearance.
Baart definitely kept me on my ties as I hungrily feasted on the pages to see where all of this was going.

I have read some of this author's books, and this one was grabbed me right away. Thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn't wait till the ending which took me by surprise! You will love Nicole Baart's newest book!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley & Atria Books for the eARC. I initially struggled to get into this novel because of the slow, drawn out start but man, once it picks up, it picks UP! I honestly had no idea that the book was going to go in the direction it did but I LOVED it. The mystery of what’s going to happen next will keep you reading way past your bedtime. I don’t want to say too much because it will spoil this beautifully written, touching, real life novel. The descriptive writing and use of multiple povs, social media posts, essays, newspaper articles, voicemail transcripts, etc. makes for a unique read that makes it easy to picture the scene in your head. Always take the long way back. ❤️

Take the long way back is the sign off mother and daughter duo, Charlie and Eva, use at the end of their Instagram posts. The pair travel the US for must of Eva’s teen years posting on their popular Instagram site and learning things along the way. When Eva disappears just before her high school graduation, Charlie realizes she doesn’t know her daughter as well as she thought.
I loved this book. The author really brings Charlie and Eva to life. The book is told from both POV’s but almost as two sections. I was enthralled by the story and didn’t want to stop reading. This is a story of a mother/daughter relationship, a story of right and wrong, and a story of how social media can influence your life. This wonderful book should be added to your TBR pile!

Eva is missing. What happened? Is it related to how she and her mother weren't getting along? Does it have something to do with the internet/influencer fame the mother-daughter team had garnered? I'll be honest, this story took a turn I totally didn't see coming! It was a great twist and definitely made for a unfamiliar plot. It did seem to be wrapped up a bit quickly and not as deftly woven as the lead up. The need to suspend belief was a bit higher than I would have preferred and I could have given up some of the build up narrative to add more to the climax, but overall it was a very interesting and satisfying read. Charlie and Eva had an exciting life on the road and I really enjoyed reading about it!

When you pick up a book written by Nicole Baart, you know you’re going to get an intimate, deeply personal story about strong, empathetic women. Women who feel a lot like you and the women you know, whose anxieties and concerns mirror your own.

You also know she’s going to shine a light on serious, meaty questions that echo the real world. But she’s going to do it in a way that centers the dignity and complexity of humanity. You know you’re going to reach the end with a full heart and a stronger appreciation for the beauty of life in this precious world.

Nicole Baart just keeps getting better and better. With "The Long Way Back," she digs deeper than ever before, tackling social media fame, the disappearance of a teenage child, and darker forces ripped from the headlines.

In part 1, we meet Charlie, a single mother trying to do everything right, who’s suddenly been faced with every parent’s worst nightmare: a missing child, authorities who believe her responsible, and the conviction that they are right, even if not in the way they suspect.

Part 2 belongs to Eva, as we learn what actually happened to her. As she grapples with her first confrontation with evil, the humanity of the people caught within its snare makes everything messier than black and white.

Part 3, we are along for the ride as the two women’s stories converge in a climax that is easy to envision seeing on the news.

This is compulsive reading that unfolds not just through narrative, but through old Instagram posts (plus the story behind them), online articles, and college essays. It’s brilliant, structurally. The back-and-forth illuminates relationships, reveals unexpected plot points, and ties the book together in a way that reflects the nuance and complexity of the real world. You will have trouble putting this down. You may find yourself wishing the real-world versions of the forces at play in these pages could be dealt with as neatly. But you will be glad you went on this journey with Charlie and Eva.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and to NetGalley for an advance copy of the book, provided for review purposes. My opinions are my own.

This story focuses on a mother and daughter who find Instagram fame from documenting their travels and adventures. When the daughter goes missing, everyone is quick to point fingers at the mom for being responsible. This book had me furiously flipping the pages, and in the end it went in a completely different direction than I expected. I enjoyed the twists and the discussion around the dangers of putting everything out there on social media.

Congrats to author, Nicole Baart, on the upcoming release (6-13-23) of her latest book, "The Long Way Back." I was lucky to get an early copy of this novel, and it has been my favorite read of 2023 so far. It's a well-written thriller about the experiences of a nomadic mother-daughter duo (Charlie and Eva) who find fame after posting about their travels on social media. Nicole's beautiful descriptions and portrayal of a single mom raising a teenage daughter make the reader feel as if they're traveling along with the pair in their vintage Airstream trailer. But the scenic trip takes a turn when Eva goes missing, and the mother is the prime suspect in the disappearance. Suddenly, being an Instagram influencer brings the entire world's opinion into play. The unexpected twists and turns skillfully weaved into "The Long Way Back" are what make this such a great escape, and I highly recommend going along for the ride!
Nicole is one of my favorite authors, and this book is another example of why I love her. Make sure you don't start reading this one unless you have plenty of time to enjoy it—because you aren't going to want to put it down.

Charlie and Eva didn’t intend to become Instagram famous, but when a photo of Eva goes viral they embrace it. Their platform is documenting life on the road – living the nomad life in their refurbished airstream trailer. Now they have decided to settle down in a small Minnesota town. Eva’s enrolled in high school and applying for college, but Charlie is left longing for the adventure they left behind.

One day while boating, Charlie takes a nap and wakes up to Eva missing. Now as secrets from their past are unraveled and Charlie is the prime suspect. Will she be able to clear her name and find Eva before it is too late?

I absolutely love books about social media and this one was fun. I loved the Instagram posts dotted throughout the book – they added a special element to the book. I absolutely loved how the story went and the turn was just lovely. It fit perfectly with the books setting and just worked. The writing style was wonderful and the characters were well developed. I really felt for Eva and how she struggled to be her own person while living in such close quarters to her mom. This really is a story of a complicated mother/daughter relationship, and I absolutely loved it.

If you are looking for a twisted thriller based on a social media star then look no further and grab your copy June 13th.

Thank you so much to Atria Books, @Atriabooks, and Netgalley, @netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for this honest review.

The Long Way Back has a slow start but turns into one wild thriller.

When mother and daughter Charlie and Eva accidentally went viral, they decided to continue sharing their travel posts. After two years on the road, they’ve settled down in a Minnesota town while Eva finishes high school and applies to colleges. They both agree to spend one last summer travelling in their Airstream trailer before Eva begins her next chapter.

Their plans fall apart when Charlie wakes up on their boat, and Eva is nowhere to be found. It doesn’t take long for everyone, including their followers and the FBI and police, to suspect that Charlie is responsible for her daughter’s disappearance.

This thriller has dual perspectives and includes news articles, podcasts, and Instagram posts. I preferred the second pov over Charlie’s. Charlie’s initial section was a slow burn, and she made some ill-advised moves.

It discusses the dangers of parents sharing information about their kids online. And how one can be the internet’s favourite person one day and its subject of scorn the next.

Based on the cover and the blurb, I thought this would be a laid-back domestic suspense. The first part was going that way. It had a slow start, but the rest was a whirlwind. It turned into a super twisty and wild, action-packed thriller. Despite the dramatic twists, I still enjoyed the plot overall.

If you enjoy super twisty thrillers, I’d recommend giving this a try.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

https://booksandwheels.com

Charlie and her daughter Eva had a famous Instagram account documenting their travels. However, they recently settled down and Eva is about to graduate. Days before graduation, she goes missing. Charlie is the immediate suspect, but she knows she is innocent and will do anything to get her daughter back.

The first part of the book was ok for me. It follows Charlie in the two days after the disappearance. It also has some of their Instagram posts with flashbacks in between. However, then the second part followed Eva. There was a surprising twist there, but then it became about a domestic terrorist group, which really came from left field. The final section was a combination of Charlie and Eva’s perspectives.

I didn’t mind the narrative structure but I was missing some suspense. I think there could’ve been more clues in Charlie’s early chapters. I also don’t think I loved the domestic terrorism twist/captivity. I think it prevented from a big twist at the end, which I always enjoy in a suspense novel.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Right up front, I’ll say that this book’s synopsis is about all that can be said. Knowing what happens or anything after the disappearance would ruin all the suspense… but let’s rewind a bit!

Charlie is a single mom, and this story starts when Eve is 13 years old. One day during their many travels, Charlie took a picture of her daughter standing under a waterfall. Mindful of cropping out a lot of her face, she posts the image on Instagram under the name The Sutton Girls.

You see, Eve had wanted a social media account for years, but her mom wisely decided they should share an account to document their travels. Their first picture of Eve went viral, and soon they were actually making money as influencers. This allowed them to travel even more! They are always careful to only post about a place after they’ve left it, and to only give glimpses of their faces (though they still have to block a lot of creepers).

Four years later, Eve is seventeen and about to graduate from high school. The Sutton Girls decide to stay at their home in Minnesota for a few months, but as the summer before Eve goes to college grows nearer, Charlie begs her for one more summer on the road. There was definitely some arguing, but eventually Eve decides to go along, if they rename the account “Eve Explores”. They are in Lake Superior on their boat when they have an argument, Charlie drinks some wine, and takes a nap. When she wakes, Eve has disappeared.

Charlie is of course anguished. Did she fall overboard? Could she have been jumping in and hit her head? Could someone have kidnapped her? If she hadn’t had that wine, would she have heard Eve crying for help? The Coast Guard comes, and she soon realizes they are considering her a suspect. What happened to Eve?

I loved so much about this - the social media comments and podcasts written throughout, and that it’s mostly based in Minnesota, a state that has a special place in my heart. I loved the relationship between this mother and daughter; at many times it was quite touching. This was completely suspenseful and thrilling, and the pages turned quickly. My only complaint was that it was a bit far-fetched and overly dramatic, but I totally enjoyed this one. 4.5 stars.

(Thank you to Atria Books, Nicole Baart, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on June 13, 2023.)

Like but not a love for me. I was hoping for a bit more thriller aspect with this and it didn’t quite hit the mark. I did enjoy the different point of views and going on Eva and Charlie’s adventures and the social media aspect was interesting as well. The family was also an interesting touch. I feel like it ended nicely and this was definitely a fun, quick read!

The Long Way Back by Nicole Baart
Publishing Date - 06/13/23
Rating (5/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books publishing for this eARC. Like Everything We Didn’t Say by this author, I really enjoyed this one too. This one is a page - turner. Guaranteed to be a hit summer thriller! Highly recommend this one when it releases June 13th.

Overall, I’d give this book a 5/10.

Starting with the positives: I did really like the two main characters. Eva and Charlie are a mother daughter duo like no other, yet they were still very relatable. I found myself rooting for them, especially during the first part of the book.

On the other hand, I did not enjoy the second part of the book. Spoiler alert - it revolves around a cult. I’ve never been into reading about cults, and this unfortunately was no different.

It does sprinkle in the negative side effects of social media, which I think is refreshing to hear, but I wish the author would have focused more on that aspect than on the cult aspect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was not what I expected it to be, but it still draws you in until the last page!

This book follows mother and daughter duo Charlie and Eva who have spent years traveling and sharing their travels via Instagram. But, Eva wants to finish high school with friends and enter the real world so they return to home base to spend time with family and live a normal life.

That is until Eva goes missing and Charlie’s world is thrown into a tailspin!

The book is split between Charlie and Eva’s points of view as well as flashbacks to some of their adventures. Nicole did an amazing job and not letting the past and future chapters get confusing. It was fun to see the Instagram blurbs mixed in throughout as well!

I don’t want to give any spoilers, but this was a great book full of all kinds of twists and turns and also a good message to pay attention to what you put out in the world and online.

Unfortunately, people forget that just because you’re hiding behind the internet, doesn’t mean you aren’t in danger.

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Book for this gifted copy! All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the copy of The Long Way Back by Nicole Baart. I will be looking for more books by Baart and I’m shocked I have never read one of her books before. I loved the writing so much I couldn’t stop reading! The story was entrancing and I loved how the Instagram posts were interspersed throughout the narrative. Eva’s college essays were an insight into her real feelings and thoughts.
I love stories about Influencers and this one took a twist I never saw coming in a million years. What could have been a standard missing teen story was so much more. I loved how the relationship between Charlie and Eva was explored and revealed. This would be such a good book club book because there is so much to unravel-was Charlie a good mother? In the end, did you change your mind about who was ‘bad’? The Author's Note was a fitting coda and will really make you think about your own beliefs and biases. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

This was my first and not last by Nicole Baart. I already like books about influencers and Northern settings, so she already had me. Mom Charlie and Daughter Eva travel around in an Airstream trailer and post their adventures. They never planned Insta-fame, Eva just posted a pic one day, and it took off. One day Eva disappears, and Charlie becomes the suspect. She must clear herself and find her daughter. Not surprisingly, her teenager had another part of her life that Charlie did not know about. The story is told from both Charlie and Eva's POV with some posts, podcasts and writings from Eva thrown in to provide the backstory. This one did start off a tad slow, but it definitely picks up and I really enjoyed it. Great twist and I am definitely going back for more from this author!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Nicole Baart and Atria Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own and I will post my review upon publication.

Thanks to Atria for the eARC.
This book was a beautiful exploration of a mother and daughter relationship and what it looks like when Eva, a graduating teenager, suddenly disappears. Charlie, her mother, is left to figure out what happened. What I liked the most about this novel was how Baart explored social media and influencer culture through these two's Instagram page. I feel like it was well thought through and each post added a bit of intrigue into where this story would end up going. I think this medium was also a unique way to explore the dynamic between a daughter growing up and a mother holding on a bit too tight. I know with books by Baart I'm going to get complicated, complex relationships, and this was exactly that. I also really liked part II of the book. It was not a direction I saw things going. I can also struggle sometimes with this type of topic in books, but it worked so well here. I thought it felt realistic and added another complicated layer to this story. And if you want to know what the 'it' is, you'll have to read this book! I always enjoy her writing and this is no exception.

"When an Instagram-famous teenager mysteriously disappears, her mother grapples with the revelation of dark secrets in this twisty, atmospheric thriller - from the author of the "poignant, riveting" (Wendy Walker, author of Don't Look for Me) Everything We Didn't Say.

Mother and daughter Charlie and Eva never sought social media fame, but when a stunning photo of Eva went viral, fame found them. Now, after more than two years documenting life on the road in their vintage Airstream trailer, the duo has temporarily settled on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Eva is happily finishing her senior year of high school and applying to college, but Charlie longs for the adventures they left behind.

When Eva goes missing less than a week before her graduation, it's Charlie who is immediately suspected of foul play - not just by their fans, but also by the police and the FBI. As a fight about one more road trip comes to light, and the truth about their relationship is questioned, Charlie realizes the rosy facade they portrayed online hid a complicated and potentially dangerous reality. Now, to clear her name and find out what has happened to her daughter, she'll have to confront her own role in Eva's disappearance - and whether she knows her daughter at all."

I mean technically the North Shore of Lake Superior is Canada, so FBI!?! But if you count the bit in Minnesota I guess...