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!!

#WhereDoWeGoFromHere #NickAlexander #Bookouture #BookoutureAnonymous

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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.

‘For years I've been telling a story about my life - a story that stopped me from falling apart. But what if I have the chance to re-write it?’

Wendy, a wife and mother who has spent years working as a nurse. And now with her children flying the nest and her marriage at the brink of falling apart, she is starting to realise that she's never really asked herself what she wants.

So, Wendy decides to rent a remote cabin in France to try and figure out what she’s going to do with her life…
Soon she starts to regret her decision. If it snows there’s no power, if she’s lucky she might bump into someone during her walks, and most importantly there is no one to talk to.
Eventually Wendy is forced to confront something she's tried her best to hide: the real reason her family is falling apart. But is she strong enough to face it alone?
•
This story is beautifully executed and Nick shares Wendy’s struggles with such authenticity where one can truly feel and understand her journey.
Her grief, PTSD, addiction and the emotional toll of caregiving can feel like one’s life is falling apart.
Hope is often found in the most unexpected circumstances and a reminder that new beginnings are always possible.

I highly recommended for anyone who enjoys deeply emotional, character-driven stories.
•
Thank you @ and @ for the ARC, I loved listening to the audiobook which was narrated beautifully.

Overall, the book was ok, an easy and light read, though the ending was a bit drawn out for my taste.

However I found its portrayal of alcoholism to be somewhat unrealistic, with a lighter approach to the true nature and impact of the issue. As a person who had to live and handle and alcoholic, I often found myself smirking and thinking, "I wish it were this easy."

The ending felt like a convenient, Hallmark-style resolution, which didn't fully capture the complexity of the topic. However, it's always valuable to discuss and raise awareness about such situations, even though those who might benefit most from reading books like this may not actually do so.

Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review

*I'll include a list of possible triggers at the end of this review.*

Wendy's personal life is in crisis, and she is the last to realize it. She is an overwhelmed wife, mother, and nurse who barely comes up for air before she's swamped again. Desperate for change, spent from riding an emotional rollercoaster, and at her wits end, Wendy makes a drastic move. She decides to rent an off-grid cabin in the French Alps for six months.

The audiobook was performed by Eilidh Beaton, she brought these characters to life complete with their English and French accents. I did speed the narration up to 1.25 a few times because the audio felt a little slow. May have been just me though.

The author's development of Wendy is where this novel sparkles. Her character has a realistic thought life and voice. She is struggling to cope and is written accordingly. There are no simple designs or easy answers. There is an uphill battle for her well-being I found to be brave. Her turmoil and uncertainty were palpable, and the incremental growth was reasonable. Wendy's resilience was inspiring as she faced down denial and a myriad of emotions. She finds an unlikely friend in the local postwoman who delivers to her cabin. They were the type of friends who bond because they fill in each other's blanks. I enjoyed seeing a female friendship that was uplifting and not focused on dating but working towards becoming a better version of oneself. Their exchanges added a warm-hearted layer to the narrative. I enjoyed seeing Wendy out of her element having to build fires in the cabin for warmth and venturing into the scenic outdoor spaces in the area. I felt like giving up certain creature comforts probably helped to bring a lot of the mental baggage to the forefront of her brain so she could begin to process.

A journey of self-discovery, gaining perspective, and healing takes a woman who's spiraling giving her new answers to the age-old question.

What now?

⚠️List of Possible Triggers to Follow⚠️
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.
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Alcoholism (in depth)
drug abuse (mentions of)
cancer
Parkinson's Disease
miscarriage
Covid pandemic (in depth)

Thank you to Bookouture Audio for providing an Advance Listening Copy via NetGalley.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC audiobook.
I enjoyed it and will recommend.
The narrator was perfect for the story.

A story of a husband and wife during and after the 2020 Covid shutdown. The wife is a nurse on the front lines while the husband is not and stays home to work and take care of their kids. She was made to feel during covid that she couldn't come home and stayed in a friends air bnb to keep the family safe. However when the world started to open up she was made to not feel welcome at home by her husband and kids because they think she brings too much drama and drinking. She ends up going abroad for a 6 month break and to figure out what to do with her life and marriage. This was a very interesting book following her journey of self discovery and a new community. It will for sure have you looking at your life.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Had to think about this for a bit before I came here to write this…

This one is a hard one to read and digest. Especially since I’ve been a nurse for many years…

Wendy is a nurse who was in the thick of it during all the tumultuous times of Covid. She saw lots of lives lost, including some of her friends. And….to be honest…she can’t seem to get past it.
She’s now turned to drinking… with lots of wine….

When she realizes that her family is literally falling apart, she decides to take some time alone… in the south of France… to try to find herself…. and figure out the course of her life.

But it’s not all it’s cracked up to be… it’s really rural… with only intermittent power and heat and really the basics in life.

BUT, how she goes about her life there, the choices she makes, and the bonds that are formed… well, that really MAKES the whole book worth it!

There were times where I thought about giving up on this one, as it was just a bit too ‘off the rails’ for me, but I’m happy I stuck with it, as the ending put it all together just perfectly!

3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me, rounded up to 4!

#WhereDoWeGoFromHere by #NickAlexander and narrated nicely by #EilidhBeaton.

***** THIS HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED!! Look 👀 for it on 4/23/25!! *****

Thanks so much to #NetGalley & #BookoutureAudio for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

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Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

This is a great story with great depth and very realistic situations. Some parts of the story were elongated possibly more than necessary but did help with buildup of the depth of the characters denial of her situation as she hit rock bottom. I’m glad I listened to this on audiobook because it’s possible I would have put it down and I’m glad I didn’t! The narrator was great and kept me interested and engaged!

This book pulled me in from the beginning, it broke my heart that Wendy felt rejected or no longer needed by her husband and kids, however as you start understanding the relationship and history it’s no wonder this happened. Her staying in France really helped her bring everything into perspective and heal from past trauma she didn’t realize she had. This is a really beautiful book, thank you NetGalley and Bookouture audio for an advanced copy of this book.

Where Do We Go From Here by Nick Alexander was far from what I expected. The summary doesn’t disclose that Wendy is an out-of-touch alcoholic. We spend too much of the book unsure whether the author wants us to realize this or if her behavior is meant to be acceptable.

I didn’t enjoy a single moment of the Jill storyline and found myself not wanting to come back to the book. Even after the final explanation of their friendship, it still didn’t feel believable or necessary. On top of that, Wendy is deeply fatphobic, even toward her own daughter, for no reason. I had the sense we weren’t supposed to like her, but I never once rooted for her. This might be a case where a male author writing female characters creates a distorted lens.

By the end, I didn’t care how things came together, especially once the book implied that sheer willpower is all it takes to stop drinking.

Still, I gave this 3 stars because the earlier scenes between Wendy and Harry felt very real. I could feel their anguish, resentment, and pain, and one particular revelation genuinely shocked me. Their relationship was what I thought the book would focus on, and those parts were the strongest and most enjoyed.

Eilidh Beaton is a decent narrator.

Thank you to Bookouture Audio for providing me with an ALC.

4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


✨ Uplifting story. Up and down emotional. Loss and finding strength.

This is for my own preferences. But I definitely recommend to read the book rather than the audio side. I think the casting for this book doesn’t fit to the story, hence she still amazing , just the voice can’t fit to the story.


✨ fmc is Wendy which I found on the first chapter loss so much, grief and sadness. As the story was evolving covid times and she is overworked.
Repression started to appear and I know she doesn’t want to. But the end was a great change of air.

Just this book goes to show that we needed a break once in a while to re group and to fight again.


Definitely worth the read.
Thankyou @bookoture for this arc copy for a honest review.



❤️shaye.readss

At first I was disappointed because the storyline appeared frothy and frivolous but I think this was down to the narrator's voice as much as anything because as soon as we got as far as Wendy's experience on the front line during the pandemic it became more interesting. The situation was relatable but most of the characters were somewhat unlikeable. I couldn't stand Harry but again a lot of this might have been down to the narrator who generally jarred with me but that's purely my opinion of course and no offence meant.
I thought the book went on much longer than necessary but overall it was enjoyable and interesting.