This book was an emotional, heartfelt journey centered around love, loss and family; however, I did not experience any real feelings until about the halfway point. The first half of the book was extremely slow and overly descriptive, not like the author's typical writing at all. It felt like the main focus of the book was on scenery instead of the characters themselves. I came very close to throwing in the towel but I'm glad that I stuck with it. The second half redeemed itself in true O'Neal fashion and told a beautiful, heart wrenching story that will stay with me for a long time. If most of the unnecessary descriptions were removed and there were a few more chapters focusing on Michael, this would have been a 5-star read for me. It was still a great story and I definitely recommend it. I just wish I enjoyed it more than I did.

Thank you to the author, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

Barbara O'Neal is an auto read author for me and this book only solidifies it! I highly recommend - especially for book clubs!

This is a very good heartfelt book, thank you for the opportunity to read this on NetGalley!! This is the second Barbara O’Neil book I’ve read and I can’t wait to read more!

Whenever I start a Barbara O'Neal book, I expect to read a family drama, with lots of drama and turmoil, and she delivered with that expectation. Did I love it? No, but it was a nice book.

The characters were well-developed, and the setting was vividly described, but I found the pacing a bit slow for my taste. However, O'Neal's writing style is always engaging, and she has a way of drawing you into the lives of her characters. Despite not loving this particular book, I appreciate the depth of emotion and the complex relationships that O'Neal portrays. I look forward to diving into her next novel and experiencing the captivating storytelling that she is known for.

As a previous reader of most of Barbara's books I was so excited to see this title and start reading it. Much like Barbara's other books this one contained a lot of family issues, romance, and drama. IN this novel Jewel has finally returned to Pueblo CO. which she ran off from as a young girl of 17 when young musician Billy swept her off of her feet for a life of travel, music and excitement.
Many years later now after Billy has passed away she is living with her best friend Michael (Who is ill from AIDS related illness) and her 17 year old son Shane. After inheriting her Aunt Syliva's home and land the three move there so Jewel can try to make amends with her family after leaving, and Michael can enjoy the warmer weather.
I felt the characters mentioned were well developed as was Michael's brother Milakai who comes to stay with them after being a tour guide all over the world.
As Jewel tries to develop her pie and cooking business, Shane tries to broaden his musical horizons, and feelings develop between Malakai and Jewel a lot of past issues come to head. I enjoyed reading about the characters and liked the ending of the book as the main characters grew a lot both mentally and emotionally.

No Place Like Home is the latest novel by Barbara O'Neal. I"ve read all of her books, and I've enjoyed them a great deal. This book, in particular drew me in because just a couple of years ago, we moved to Colorado Springs, (Pueblo is only about 45 minutes away.) I found myself continually looking up bits of history and information she added to her novel, and they were true! So, I had all kinds of interesting bits about the areas.

This story is about a young woman who left home when she was just 18 to follow a band/rock star, for a new life (something many 18 year olds wish they could do.) She becomes best friends with another member of the band, and this friendship spans their entire lives. Michael is now ill, and as fate would have it, she is left a home in her former community, which will put her right back in the middle of her estranged family.

She is especially estranged from her father, whom she hasn't spoken to in 20 years. She hopes for a reconciliation, but that brings fear of opening her heart as well.

Another interesting bit is that the author said that, in Pueblo (which I knew only for their chilis!), there was a large Italian community. Jewel, the main character, is part of a large Sicilian family, with all the love, chaos, and history that comes with Italian families.

This was a wonderful book with chapters set around food...who wouldn't love that? I highly recommend this novel, whether this is your first, or one of many, books by the author.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for a digital ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#NoPlaceLikeHome #NetGalley

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read No Place Like Home by Barbara O'Neal who never disappoints and always leaves me feeling satisfied, content, and at peace. Five stars plus.

No Place Like Home tells the story of a young woman who defied the traditions of her large family in Pueblo, leaving school as the teenage daughter of a traditional Italian Catholic family for life and adventure with her rock-star quasi-husband, Billy, whom she met with Michael, a man who becomes her best friend after meeting them both at the state fair. Jewel leaves Pueblo for New York with Billy and Michael at age 17 longing for adventure and life outside the confines of Pueblo and the staunch traditions of her large family. Along the way, the three of them leave the small-town claustrophobia of Pueblo for the semi-successful rock star lifestyle of Micheal and Billie in New York, a man she truly loves but never marries, despite the birth of their son, Shane. After twenty years, Jewel feels the familiar pull of her first family, the one she left behind to spread her wings. After a series of life-altering challenges and an inheritance of land from a great aunt, Jewel decides to head home to Pueblo with her son, Shane, and her dearest friend, Michael, to try to make amends with the life she left behind as a young girl. Estranged from her father, whom she hasn’t spoken to since she left Pueblo twenty years ago, Jewel longs for a reconciliation as much as that scares her. With her strong Sicilian roots and a huge family whom she believes judges her for her past free-spirited adventures, she learns as much from this family reunion as her parents, sisters, aunt, cousins, and grandparents do. As Michael meanders one of the biggest struggles of his life, Jewel finds redemption in forgiveness via a new and unexpected love as she rebuilds a life for herself and Shane inside her large Sicilian family.

The tale is a journey of personal growth and romance, reconciliation and the never-ending lure of family ties that bind. I had never read a Barbara O’Neal book before, and I must say I am now a new fan of her work. The tale is delivered via characters that become part of your family as you read; the characters and their foibles so real you feel like you lived through them with the MC, Jewel. Her characters jump off the page and into your heart. With both believable characters and believable backstories, and rich immersive settings, you will feel as if you stepped off the same train and bus that Jewel, Shane, and Michael did when they arrived in Pueblo. You can smell the family dishes, taste the mouth-watering deserts, and smell the high desert weather in all its glory and seasons. O’Neil weaves a tale of longing, lost souls and the true nature of family and forgiveness and the need we all seem to have at times in our lives to return to our roots for comfort when times get tough. This book will transport you through some of your own youthful imperfections alongside Jewel as she comes to understand the one life she is destined to have as she rebuilds her life and finds new love after loss. Spoiler Alert: Have tissues handy. And there are a few drug/alcohol scenes, bad boy innuendos, and sex scenes which Barbara O'Neal writes into the story beautifully and unoffensively. As my first book review for Net Galley which I stayed up most of the night to finish, I am thrilled to say Barbara O’Neal's poignant tale of love and loss, personal growth, and family forgiveness should be a must read for all.