WoW. . .. . . Where Do We Go From Here? by Nick Alexander and narrated by Eilidh Beaton was another beautifully written book. I always find Nick's books are written from his heart and they just take your breath away from the very first few pages. Where Do We Go From Here was an unforgettable and life-affirming novel about love, loss and new beginnings. This audiobook was a very hard read for me, as I lost my mum to COVID. I never got to say Goodbye to her. So, it took me a while to listen to it. It was an emotional and roller coaster ride for me and it broke my heart all over again.

The narrator Eilidh Beaton was excellent.

I highly recommend all Nick Alexander's books but you will need lots of tissues with this one and time to re think of what happened when COVID hit the world, I lived and still live in France so I could relate more to the main character Wendy.

This was my first book by this author. I’ve already added quite a few to my TBR list. The writing drew me in from the start. Wendy has been through a lot and needs a break from it all. Work, family and the crazy that they bring. She packs up and heads off to get some rest and relaxation away from it all. Turns out it isn’t the warm cozy place she was anticipating to put it lightly. The author has crafted a beautiful, emotional, emotional story of her finding her way back to herself.

I’m quite new to audiobooks and I did enjoy this narration. It was a little heavier to listen to than I was expecting, but definitely glad that I persevered with it.

Never knowing when rock bottom is going to hit, and realising that there is always support if you look for it, Wendy, the main character ploughs on.

Not the first book I’ve read by this author and definitely going to search for more. A gritty read.

The audio narration kept me engaged with the story. Tone, expression, gender and accents of all characters are very well executed.
Thank you to the publisher, Bookouture, for an advance audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Four stars

Where Do We Go From Here? by Nick Alexander is a beautifully narrated audiobook that dives deep into the complexities of relationships, love, and personal growth. The narrator did an amazing job, capturing the emotion and depth of the characters, which made the story feel even more immersive.

The plot is full of heart, with moments of tenderness and raw honesty. It’s a reflective and sometimes bittersweet journey that explores what happens when life doesn’t go as planned. The characters are wonderfully real, with flaws and strengths that made them feel incredibly relatable.

I gave it 4 stars because, while the story was thought-provoking and touching, there were moments where the pacing slowed down a bit, and I found myself wishing for a bit more excitement or tension. However, the emotional depth and the growth of the characters more than made up for it.

If you’re looking for an audiobook that’s heartfelt, thoughtful, and full of emotional insight, Where Do We Go From Here? is a fantastic choice. It’s the kind of story that stays with you, leaving you thinking long after you’ve finished listening.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was a heavier read than I thought it would be, but in a good way! It was interesting to watch the Wendy come to terms with herself and move past her issues. I would read more by this author.

Engaging, entertaining, and well narrated. A recommended purchase for collections where women's fiction is popular.

Wendy has left it all behind to find herself in a small remote house in France. Her marriage is barely hanging on by a thread, her children seem to dislike her and she’s given up the job she’s had for decades. She doesn’t know how it’s come to this but escape seems to be the best option. Can she figure out how life has taken this turn and will she like what she discovers?

Wendy was a nurse during Covid and saw the horrors that brought. She looked after her dying mother on her own. Dealing with both has brought a distance between her and her family. At first I felt sorry for Wendy. In her retelling she is practically kicked out of the family home , people more concerned with not catching Covid than understanding what she was dealing with each day. But as the story goes on the reader sees that Wendy hasn’t been completely honest with herself, or the reader as a result.

She comes to France to find herself and the self she finds is one she wasn’t expecting. It becomes apparent to the reader before it does to Wendy, and so the actions of her husband Harry, and children Todd and Fiona become more understandable.

I went into this book thinking it would be a lot more jolly and light-hearted than it was. I listened to it on audio and the narrator did a great job of bringing the story to life. The only thing I did find distracting was the use in the story of referring to the characters by an initial during some conversations as I found it pulled me out of the story.

A story of self-discovery, realisation and recovery.

This was surprisingly emotional!

I really enjoyed this book and felt a lot for Wendy as she embarked on her journey of self discovery. The inclusion of the pandemic in the storyline made this feel all the more relatable and real. My one small gripe is that some of the issues felt slightly too quickly and easily resolved but overall I enjoyed it and will definitely look to read more of Nick's work.

I found Manon to be such a wonderful character and her relationship with Wendy was probably the highlight of the book for me.

I'd been wanting to read Nick Alexander for a long time so couldn't pass up the opportunity to listen to his latest book on audio.
Eilidh Beaton is a favourite narrator of mine, and she really brings this story to life.
It's a challenging read, in that we see someone go to rock bottom and try and turn their life around. But it addresses these issues well.
I'd love to read more from the author, particularly if they are narrated by Beaton!

A very touching and compelling story of a wife and mother coming to terms with alcohol addiction during COVID. With Wendy being in healthcare during COVID it is already hard and to cope she drinks more and more till her family can't stand to be around her. She moves to France for 6 months to find herself and begins to repair her relationships with her family and friends. She also comes to terms with the alcohol addiction. This is not a light read...Wendy faces a lot of heartbreak. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wendy is one of the most real and raw characters I’ve read. Where Do We Go From Here? Felt more like an autobiography in the emotion and relativity it portrayed, than it did a novel. Nick Alexander’s writing style has the ability to leave the reader feeling just as drained and exhausted as the main character Wendy when she’s in the thick of it. Honestly, it was hard to read at moments because of this, but in pushing through, I found that I was fighting so hard for Wendy. The internal battle that Wendy faces throughout this story is vulnerable and relatable to readers. Alexander does not shy away from addressing heavy topics such as loss, trauma, suicide, drugs and alcoholism. These aren’t themes of the book as much as they are contributors to the storyline. If you enjoy books that cause you to reflect on your life choices, habits and all around relationships, this book is for you!

This was a very compelling and soul searching book. It caused me to be reflective of some of my own choices! The audiobook was narrated well.

Wendy’s job as a nurse undoubtedly showcases her compassionate nature. However, her personal life leaves much to be desired. In fact, her husband urges her to leave. Go away. After the pandemic and the lockdown, Wendy and her husband, Harry, have drifted apart. With their children older, Wendy agrees to leave for a while.

Wendy’s absence from her family isn’t new. Due to her job as a nurse and her concerns about the pandemic, she had already been spending time away from home. So, when Harry suggests they take a break, Wendy agrees. Unsure about the future, Wendy tries to assess her life and problems, hoping to find solutions.

Deciding to spend time in picturesque France, Wendy embarks on a journey of self-discovery. She even comes to terms with certain aspects of herself that require serious consideration. Finding a new friend in France proves instrumental in helping Wendy unravel the root causes of her problems. This emotional story by Nick Alexander delves into challenging issues, allowing readers to witness Wendy’s struggles while holding onto the hope that her life may take a positive turn.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me the perfect trifecta of a physical, digital, and audio ARC of the latest novel by Nick Alexander, with the audiobook perfectly narrated by Eilidh Beaton, and for including me on the blog tour today! All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4.5 stars!

Wendy is a nurse, especially difficult in the time of Covid. At home things are no easier; her kids are getting older, and her marriage seems to just be hanging on. When everything comes to a boil, she decides to rent a remote cabin in France to spend some time figuring out what’s next. But being all by herself forces Wendy to take a good look at her own behaviors.

This was such a good character study, and I especially loved Wendy and the postal carrier, Manon. How many of us think escaping from everyone and everything would make our world better? But is it the people in our lives that make us better? It’s always tough to look inside and much easier to blame others when things go wrong. There’s a lot of humor in this book while tackling the tough subjects of loss, addiction, and social connection. It would be a great book club read!

One will find a very relatable, realistic character dealing with a very real situation in this emotional, character driven novel of self-discovery. Needing some time for herself after feeling a bit burned out due to work, mothering, her troubled marriage and just life, Wendy heads to vacation in France. Her cabin is a bit more isolated than she was expecting, but she also formed unexpected friendships and a whole lot of reflection that aided her in her journey to find her purpose again. The plot moved a bit slow in some parts and I still find it is not my favorite thing to read plots that involve Covid (totally a personal choice) but overall an emotional, relatable story.
I was able to experience and enjoy this as a tandem read. The sole female narrator, Eilidh Beaton did a great job bring Wendy and her internal thoughts to life.

Overall I found this book to be heavier going than the blurb and cover indicated. It has quite a lot of trigger topics, including; Covid, grief, illness inc cancer, alcoholism, drug use, miscarriage. If I had of known this I wouldn’t have chosen to listen to this particular book. I didn’t really enjoy the story and found it very long.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Where Do We Go From Here?' by Nick Alexander

'Where Do We Go From Here?' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book Nick Alexander discusses/includes COVID, alcoholism and grief.

Wow!!!! Just flipping wow!!!! What an absolutely epic page turner!!! Well done Nick!!! How on Earth have I never read any of your books before? Absolutely smashed it!!!!!!! I have absolutely no idea how this is the first time I have read one of this incredible author's books but I am so glad I have rectified that problem and I cannot wait to get hooked into more books by the extremely talented Nick. I cannot wait to get stuck into the rest of his books as I can guarantee they are all amazing even if they are just half as good as this book they are guaranteed to be epic which means I will fly through them like I did with this book!!

WOW!!!! What can I say?!?! What an absolutely beautiful book that I fell in love with front the first chapter!!! I cannot wait to read more books by this extremely talented author! This book is beautifully written with vivid descriptions setting the picture perfectly in the readers mind. The title, description and cover works perfectly with the storyline.

This book is an absolutely gorgeous, compelling and emotive page turner!!! It is an absolute rollercoaster ride of emotions that will have you smiling one chapter and crying the next so make sure you have the tissues at the ready as well as a free day as you will not be able to put it down. In this immersive and addictive page turner Nick transports his readers to a beautiful cabin in the French Alps where they will meet Wendy. Wendy is married to Harry but her marriage is falling apart, she has two children Todd and Fiona but their relationship isn't great, is struggling with the grief and trauma from losing her Mum and works as a nurse. If all this was not enough she also worked during COVID where she was surrounded by loss, grief and death. Thankfully she has a best friend Jill who has a home in the French Alps that she rents out as an Air B&B. Wendy has inherited some money from her Mum's death and decides to take a 6 month sabbatical at Jill's holiday home to find herself again. With the help of Manon the post lady she meets will Wendy discover herself again? Grab your copy to discover Wendy's story for yourself and I can guarantee that you will not regret it!! You may even discover a new favourite author just like I have!! With a storyline ram packed with emotions, friendship, self-discovery, escapism, reality, healing, reflection, stunning settings and so much more what on Earth are you waiting for?? I was completely swept in the storyline and I absolutely loved the realism of it. It was also nice to discover a male author that wrote about females in a realistic way and with the everyday problems that women do deal with. The fact that Nick has done his research shines through the storyline. It is one of my pet hates when an author does not do enough research on the topic they are writing about as it can lead to unnecessary mistakes which can spoil the storyline for me so a HUGE CONGRATULATIONS Nick. This book really is a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I was utterly glued to the pages and I could not bring myself to put it down. I was carrying my kindle around and reading it every chance that I got. I adored the ending and would love to see this book turned into a movie. I don't want to say anything else about the storyline as I don't want to give to much away but I do want to mention two more things. Make sure you have your tissues at the ready as I am only normally emotional when it comes to animals but even I had tears streaming down my eyes when certain events happen and make sure you clear your schedules as you won't be able to put this stunning and compelling book down!!! Nick's evocative writing skills will take you straight to France and into Wendy's life at the turn of a page. A gorgeous page-turner filled with history, mystery, friendship, hope and overcoming fears that will warm your hearts . I am off to add the rest of Nick's books to my Amazon wish list as soon as I've finished this review!!

Clear your schedules as this is one gorgeous and unputdownable stunner

The characters are strong, realistic and I became completely invested in each and every one of them. They all had their own problems, secrets, feelings and all had unique personalities and I just absolutely loved getting to know them all. I felt each of their love, friendship, pain, heartbreak, happiness, worry, happiness, fear, sorrow and so much more. I loved getting to know Wendy and seeing her change throughout the pages, including how I felt about her from when I started to the end. My heart went out to her for everything that she was going through and had gone through in the past, especially as a nurse and one during COVID. I also loved getting to know each and every other character that we met during her life time and seeing how her relationships and friendships changed throughout this beautiful book. Nick really does do an absolutely amazing job of bringing the story to life and the characters leap out of the pages as your turning them thanks to his evocative writing skills!! It is so hard to say what I feel about the characters without giving anything away so I won't say anymore about them as I don't want to go into too much detail at the risk of spoiling it for other readers but Nick really has done an amazing job at bringing each of the characters to life and I am missing them already. Well done Nick!!!

Congratulations Nick on an absolutely gorgeous, emotional rollercoaster filled with everything you could ask for in a page turner!!! I am looking forward to reading more of your books and I would absolutely love to see this book turned into a movie!!! This is why I would like to welcome you to my favourite author list and here's to your next success

Overall an absolutely gorgeous book that will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions !!!

Overall a compelling, addictive, emotive, beautiful and fantastic page turner!!

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Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ARC!

When I first started this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to finish it. The narrator seemed insufferable, but I was hopeful that she would get better. We watch Wendy go on a journey of understanding how the combination of her mother's death and working as a nurse during the COVID pandemic drove her to alcoholism, severing her from her family. She goes to France to rethink her life and find herself, hoping for some big revelation about how to fix her life, not yet knowing that she's part of the problem. We watch Wendy make friends with her post lady Manon, entertain her friend Jill, and have a visit from her daughter while she's away in France. By the end of this book, I really enjoyed my journey with Wendy. I do think her intensive strongwilled-ness was a bit unrealistic, but I'm happy for her regardless. I loved Eilidh Beaton's narration. I'll be looking out for more titles from the author and narrator in the future!

Where Do We Go From Here? is a story of a marriage that is crumbling in the middle of the pandemic with the FMC drinking to numb it all. I feel like it was a very believable story given all that was happening in this family's life. The FMC made decisions that I wanted to yell "No" "No" "Don't do that!" and I did not like the characters of her husband or children. Although it was believable I did find the story a bit too long and drawn out in the middle. The audiobook runs 12 hours 44 mins. The narration was a good fit for the FMC as she was British and Eiliduh Beaton had a commentary accent.

Thank you Net Galley, Nick Alexander and Bookouture Audio for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.
Where Do We Go From Here? is expected to be released April 23, 2025.