Reluctantly Home

Thanks to Imogen Clark, the publisher and Netgalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

TW contains spoilers.





TW: child death, sexual assault

I read the first chapter and realised this wasn't necessarily the happy book I wanted to read! The TW hits you from page 2. The overall themes in the book make it a difficult read - but it's well written and makes you want to carry on reading.

The book alternates between the stories of Pip in 2019 and Evelyn in 1979, 1983 (through her diary) and 2019.

Pip has returned home (reluctantly) after having panic attacks following a tragic car accident. While working in a charity shop, she finds a diary that has accidentally been donated.

The diary belongs to Evelyn and tells the story of the worst year of her life. From the chapters set in 1979, you find out her reasons for (reluctantly) returning home. The diary hints at more than just tragic accidents happening, and Pip sets out to find out the truth.

The last couple of chapters wrap everything up neatly, with both Evelyn and Pip finding ways to move on from their respective situations (but not forgetting the past).

No conclusion on Pip and Jez though!

Focusing on two women of different generations, "Reluctantly Home" is a story of women's friendship, resilience and second chances.

Two very different tragic events in the lives of Pip, an attorney, and Evelyn, an actress, lead them to leave London and return to their rural English hometown.

Strengthened by empathetic and well-drawn characters, the book provides an engaging and emotionally satisfying reading experience that transcends generational boundaries.

Lives can intersect at surprising moments. Sometimes you find a friend precisely when you need one the most. An up and coming young barrister in London is on her way to court. A child darts out in front of her car and in an unavodable accident, is killed. Phillippa Rose Appleby is traumatized. In spite of reassurance from investigating officers and passersby, she cannot move past this moment. She falls apart in court and moves back home to recuperate from the tragedy. Being back with Mom and Dad is a blessing and a curse. No one really knows how to help her move on. While sorting books at her volunteer job, Pip finds a diary. Knowing that this was either a mistake or intended for the trash, she decides to look inside and determine the owner's name. Once she has opened it, she decides to read a little, hoping the boring life of the diarist will take her mind off of her own troubles.

The owner of the diary is Evelyn Mountcastle, an actress on the brink of success. She has been to a party where she was fortunate enough to capture the attention of a director casting for a new show. She does well at the screen test and is told she will have to audition for the director. Her audition is to take place in the director's suite. After plying her with alcohol, the director has sex with her. Evelyn finds out that she has the part, a major breakthrough for her career. As rehearsals begin, she discovers that the audition with the director has resulted in being pregnant. Evelyn quits her job and returns to her family home to raise her child. Her sister is unwelcoming but Evelyn is determined to endure.

As Pip reads Evelyn's diary she is left with questions that do not seem to have an answer. She returns the diary to Evelyn. These two damaged souls recognize something in each other that brings them together. As they begin a friendship, both begin to heal. Their friendship saves them and helps them move forward in their lives.

Imogen Clark writes stories with amazing emotional depth. She doesn't just give insight into a character, she immerses you into the character. Her understanding of human foibles takes a fictitious story into so much more meaning. She is truly a special author that has the ability to capture complex feeling and emotion into words. This is a wonderful book of recovery from tragedy and the healing power of friendship. I wholeheartedly recommend it!

Not bad. Pretty fast read. Loved Evelyn’s story. Pip was ok. She grew on me the farther the story progressed. Good story about forgiveness, redemption and finding your own way.

This book was not at all what I expected.

TW: Child death, Mental health

After a terrible accident and series of public panic attacks, Pip returns to her home town in hopes of healing. While volunteering at a thrift store, she finds a diary from 1983. Instead of returning it to it’s rightful owner right away, she reads it. Feeling a connection with the author, she becomes determined to get to know her.

Like I said, this book wasn't what I was expecting, if I had realized that it included the death of children, I probably wouldn't have read it.

It was an alright story, written well. Two women bond over separate, but shared trauma. Probably not something I would actively recommend though

*Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this eARC

Very well told story of two people trapped by tragedies and how in a struck of luck or fate they help each other out, restoring what was lost. #ReluctantlyHome

The premise of this book, exploring how people become trapped and unable to move forward because of events in their lives, is good. I felt the book was slow, especially in the first third of the book. I was pleased with the ending. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

I received an e-ARC through Netgalley.
This book contains scenes of child danger and mental illness.
This book is told from 2 different POV of 2 women in very different times, Evelyn in the 1970s-80s, and Pip who is born in 1990. They both experience traumatic events and return home to a place they couldn't wait to escape from. The book brings them together and helps them heal. The book kept my interest throughout and wrapped up pretty well although I was expecting a little more closure with Jez, but maybe there will be a sequel.

Reluctantly Home is story about grief, trauma and friendship. I had a hard time reading this story. It deals with child death and trauma. I'm not sure I would have picked this one up If I knew this. However, I did enjoy the story after I moved past this. It's a story of a unique friendship forged in grief. The writing was good and I enjoyed the characters.

Returning to the family farm after a tragic accident, Rose is forced to accept a quieter life away from her law practice and her active social life in London with her successful Queen's Council fiancé, Dominic. On the farm, Rose loses her identity, even being called Pip, a childhood nickname. Finding a diary in the Have a Heart Thrift store, leads to Pip's discovery of another life that somewhat parallels her own. Exploring past lives as she reads through the pages keeps Pip and the reader guessing. Set in the bucolic English countryside, the mystery unravels for fans of cozy fiction.

A story of two women caught up in the messy circle of their lives trying to find a way out. I liked how Pip and Evelyn each had their own stories, and how the novel showed that with a little help from friends we can find our paths again.

IMOGEN CLARK – RELUCTANTLY HOME

I read this novel in advance of publication through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is a story of parallel lives, and, although I don’t wear one, I would eat my hat if it didn’t become another 100,000 best seller like Imogen Clark’s other novels.

Two women’s lives are devastated, one, Pip, in the present, a high-powered successful young lawyer, going about her daily business, when tragedy strikes; the other, Evelyn, back in the 70s and now aged 70, a naive aspiring actress who reluctantly succumbs to the casting couch.

Pip is distraught after what happens to her, and reluctantly goes back home to the family farm near the seaside town Southwold, Suffolk, where, by coincidence, Evelyn still lives, though as a recluse.

Evelyn’s inheritance-seeking relative throws out by accident one volume of a set of personal diaries that Evelyn wrote in the 80s, and, by chance, it ends up in Pip’s hands. Reading it, she realises the tragic parallels in their lives and seeks to find her and return the diary. And this is their story.

Attitudes towards women by men in the television industry, about what was acceptable in the 70s compared with the present, is dealt with very adroitly, through the two friends.

Without giving away more of the plot away, this is another of her page turners, with sympathetically drawn characters, with fascinating and tragic backgrounds, and with a generous supporting cast.

In short, this is a novel I can recommend without reservation.

Well written heart wrenching book of people trapped by tragedy. Tragedies that they are suffering from& the healing they need.Well written involving emotional will be recommending.#netgalley #amazonpublishinguk

Thank you so much for a pre-publication look at Reluctantly Home to Lake Union and the author in exchange for an honest review.

I had not previously read Imogen Clark but I intend to correct that omission. This novel was a refreshing take on the MeToo Movement. Having found a diary in a box of books while unpacking thrift shop donations, Pip can't help her curiosity and takes it home to read.

Pip's own situation is precarious. She suffers from panic attacks after having hit and killed a child who ran in from of her car. Despite her inability to avoid the accident, Pip, filled with guilt, has come home to her parents' farm to recover. She has left her job as a barrister in London and is back in the bosom of her family. It's not easy.

The MeToo aspect enters in the diary a story of Evelyn Mountcastle, a TV actress in the 70s. Evelyn, it turns out, became pregnant in a couch casting incident where she was forced to have sex with a producer which changed her life. It is Evelyn's explanation of how this kind of abuse was expected and accepted in the past on which this story hinges.

Ultimately, it is a story of how friendship and empathy can create healing and change lives. And Imogen Clark is so very good at involving us in the process. (Aside: for those of us who are not Brits, Clark's repetitive use of the word "whilst" gets a bit wearing. I began counting them till I lost count.)

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for this advance copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. I thought I might have difficulty getting into the story as I didn't warm to the main characters, both of whom seemed self-absorbed at first. However, there were many themes present in the story - escape from one's roots and return, reinvention, tragedy, friendship, recovery and even a touch of the MeToo movement - all of which the author competently brings together in a compelling story.

Although the book deals with very difficult topics, having had first-hand experience with the issues of child death and mental illness, I felt that the author handled them deftly and sympathetically, bringing together 2 damaged and broken women who help each other to heal and go on to live life beyond their tragedies. I would definitely recommend this book.

Another great read from Imogen Clark. Two women have a chance meeting and both share a great deal in common. Evelyn’s tragedy was many years ago whilst Pip’s I current. They form an unlikely friendship and with some help and sharing are able to find new and positive paths. It did take a little getting into at first but it is a nice cosy read. Thanks for an advanced copy to NetGalley.

We all have experiences that shape who we are. Sometimes, those experiences happen because of circumstances beyond our control, but such events have an everlasting impact. “Reluctantly Home” by Imogen Clark is a great example of when one accident can throw your life plan and how you perceive yourself out the window.

Pip (or Rose, as she now prefers to be called) is a lawyer/barrister in London who did not look back when she left her rural childhood family harm. But when a horrific accident leads to a serious of panic attacks, Pip flees London to return to her roots. In the hope of doing some good, she begins working at a thrift shop and it’s while going through discarded belongings that she discovers a forgotten diary. As she begins to read it, she becomes drawn to the writer’s story.

I related to Pip’s plight a lot. It was also believable how she connected to the diarist. While there is some suspense as to who the writer of the diary is, I really thought this story was at its strongest when it forces Pip to reconcile who she once was with the person she was trying to become before the accident. With so much ugliness going on in the world right now, I really appreciated the chance to read a novel that offers hope. Because of that, I give this novel four stars.

Thanks to Imogen Clark, the publisher and Netgalley for my advanced copy.

I was lucky enough to receive an advance reader copy of Reluctantly Home -- thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for giving me a preview.

Pip Appleby finds herself back on the family farm after a tragic accident upends her posh London life. She doesn't want to be there, smothered by her parents and the life she left behind, but, unable to cope with the aftermath of the accident, she is unable to resume her life in London. She's stuck in neutral, working in a thrift store and wondering if she'll ever feel like herself again.

After reading a diary she found at the thrift store, Pip goes looking for Evelyn Mountcastle, a local recluse and aging actress who is the owner of the diary. Evelyn has been through her own tragedies and has also found herself stuck in their tiny town, unable to cope with the past and move on. The two women help each other reconcile the past and embrace whatever lies ahead.

Reluctantly Home doesn't have any major plot twists, or any real mysteries to solve. Overall it's fairly predictable and even a little saccharine -- it's a pretty typical tale of prickly characters finding each other and learning to loosen up along the way. It's even got some loose plot ends that I don't feel were tied up all that well, which usually bugs me. But with all that said, this is a charming little book. The characters are likable and believable, if a bit predictable, and their stories, while unique to them, are easy enough to extrapolate to yourself or those around you. If Evelyn and Pip had been less endearing, this book might have made me roll my eyes -- too sappy, too predictable, too "chick lit." And yes, it's all those things. But I liked it anyway.

Like many current novels, Reluctantly Home contains a #MeToo plot line, and when I first saw it coming, I was sort of dreading seeing the book take off in that direction. Too often, I find that storyline poorly written, shoehorned in to fit current events. I'm happy to say that's not the case here. The #MeToo plot elements fit naturally into the story, and even allow for some disagreement about the topic between a woman in her 20s and one in her 70s who experienced life in very different ways.

Pip is a bit too naive to be a high-powered barrister, and Evelyn is a bit too uninformed about current events for a woman who's supposed to be worldly-wise. Pip's mother is a cliche, as is the old boyfriend (and the new one, come to think of it). But even with these flaws, and the lack of resolution we're given about Pip's love life, I found the characters charming and I cared what happened to them. And that was enough to keep me reading.

This is a pleasant, rather predictable read that I recommend if you're looking for something not too heavy and not too dark. This book is about light at the end of the tunnel, and here in the spring of 2021, we can all use a little of that.

(Posted on Goodreads 3-20-2021)

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Pip who is a lawyer who lives in London, appears to have it all. On the way to work one day she is involved in a car accident that changes her life in many ways she returns home to her family farm and replays the accident that happened. She us not sure if she will ever be able to go back to her previous life. This book captured my attention from the beginning.

Reluctantly Home is a story of two women, generations apart, who are struggling with situations in their past that are strangling them from moving forward. Pip found a diary amongst some books that were brought to a thrift store near her childhood home. She grapples with whether she should read it and does. Learning more of Evelyn Mountcastle’s life and her lovely, little daughter, Scarlett. Pip decided she should find Evelyn and return the precious diary. As Pip gets more familiar with Evelyn there are many similarities in their lives. Pip is taking some time off from her job in London. The friendship helps each woman come to grips with things they need to change for their own progression. Author, Imogen Clark, describes thoughts and actions with intense feeling and a beautiful story of redemption and courage is born. I enjoyed the book and highly recommend it to friends.

Many thanks to Imogen Clark, the publisher, and Netgalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the book. Pip has returned home (reluctantly) after having panic attacks following a tragic car accident. While working in a charity shop, she finds a diary that has accidentally been donated, by Evelyn. It was. kind of slow for me. There were of course two POVs and Pip's and Evelyn's. stories seem familiar to Pip. It kept my interest after the slow start. I wished there had been closure in the end.

The story revolves around two ladies. The first is present-day (2019) and is about Rose, also known as Pip to her family, who was the driver of a car resulting in a death. Rose was genuinely blameless, but unfortunately, she can’t stop blaming herself. Rose elects to return home to her parent's house in the English countryside because she had debilitating panic attacks leaving her unable to function at work. Rose volunteers at a resale shop, and while organizing donated items, she finds an old diary back from the late 1970’s- 1980’s and starts reading the diary leading her to wonder what happened to the diary's owner. By this time, Rose is at a low point as her boyfriend ends their relationship, her horrific panic attacks continue, and she faces an uncertain future. But the diary, written by a former actress who was on the cusp of stardom, helps Pip/Rose realize that other people have suffered tragedies as well. Evelyn, the diary’s writer and a former actress, suffered a life-changing assault resulting in her return to her childhood home in the English countryside many years prior. Once Rose and Evelyn meet, it becomes a chance for self-reflection, discussions about their tragic life journeys, and how they might find a way to move forward in life. I can’t explain it, but the writing feels very British and has a little different vibe to it. But I got used to it, and the ending brings it all together nicely. I thank NetGalley for the ARC, but my thoughts and review are my own and without bias. ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 stars #triggers #assault #metoo #tragedy #loss #redemption #struggle
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

This was an interesting book. Two women come together to get through traumatic events. The end comes a little quickly. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

I really enjoyed this book. The story is told through the perspective of two different women. At first it was a little difficult to keep track of the two different story lines, but once the two characters merged I really enjoyed it. There is a hint of romance, and I wish that story line was developed more, but still, it was an overall good read.

4.5 stars. I loved this novel about stories you tell yourself, coming home, and learning to forgive yourself and live again. Pip and Evelyn are great characters - the first part of the novel we learn about their lives separately (and Evelyn's in flashback/diary form) but when they meet the novel becomes even more lovely and heartwarming. The parallels between their lives help them form an unlikely friendship. The book ends on a note a hope.

"Pip Appleby seems to have it all, with her prestigious job as a human rights lawyer and her enviable London home. But then a tragic accident stops her life in its tracks, and in an instant everything changes. Retreating to her family’s rural farm and the humble origins she has been trying to hide, Pip is haunted by what she has done.

When she discovers the diary of actress Evelyn Mountcastle in a box of old books, Pip revels in the opportunity to lose herself in someone else’s life rather than focus on the disaster that is her own. But soon she sees parallels—Evelyn’s life was also beset by tragedy, and, like Pip, she returned to Southwold under a dark cloud.

When Pip and Evelyn’s paths cross in real life they slowly begin to reveal the hidden stories that are holding them back. Can they help each other forgive what happened in the past and, perhaps, find happiness in the future?"

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5/5⭐️

I loved this story featuring two women at very different stages of life who have both suffered through tragic events that have left them scarred and guilt-ridden.

While recovering at her parents’ farm, Pip discovers a lost diary (early 80s) of Evelyn’s at a charity shop. She is intrigued by their similar challenges/losses in life and tracks Evelyn down. What ensues is a poignant sharing of pain and sorrow that transforms into forgiveness and new life.

I have read one other book from Clark, and I’m finding that I’m drawn in by her well-drawn, often flawed characters and how they connect with others in their lives. Pip and Evelyn are both characters that I rooted for. And while I was expecting this to be a love story, I wasn’t disappointed in any way, as these women develop their own unique loving kinship that shines and brightens the page. Wonderful story of female bonding and healing when one has given up hope.

Much thanks to #NetGalley and #AmazonPublishingUK for providing me the early ARC for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

The beginning of this book sends you back and forth between the current day life of Pip and the past of Evelyn. Both characters were strong on their own and I enjoyed getting to know them. I did feel that the first part of the book was disjointed as you skipped from present day Pip to Evelyn’s past to Evelyn’s diary. With each change I wished that I had gotten to spend more time with that person in that moment. Because of this, I found it took me a little longer to get the connection I was looking for with these characters. Once I felt that connection, I better understood the lives of these women as they dealt with loss, anxiety, acceptance, and moving on. The end of the book brings Pip and Evelyn together as they both work to come to terms with where their lives have brought them and where the future will take them. A wonderful read that touches on places we get stuck in our lives and moving on.

This book is less mystery and more in-depth character study of the two female protagonists brought together by separate tragedies. How they meet and help each other heal is the core of this book. It is well written and brings up the question of whether you can go home again.

Pip has left her job as a barrister and moved back to the family farm when debilitating panic attacks cause her to be unable to work. She was fine until a young boy runs in front of her car and dies. Evie a 70 yo is existing and hasn't left her house in years. Her life ended when her three year old died by accidentally drowning. Can this unlikely pair form a strong enough friendship to save them both?

I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.

This is a Women's Fiction book that covers some hard hitting topics. I think the hard hitting topics in this book is handle very well, but you should look on trigger's for this book if you get upset well reading some things. Pip and Evelyn Mountcastle finds each other when they really need to get over something in for their past. I really love both of these characters, and their past stories are so interesting. This is a well written book that has a lot of hard topics, and the great characters that makes this book shine. I have to say after reading some others review I was scared to pick up this book, but I am so happy I finally picked it up. This would have been 5 stars if the beginning part did not move so slow, and it took a little bit to really get to the heart of the book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Lake Union Publishing) or author (Imogen Clark) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that. This book is schedule to be release on April 29-2021.

Reluctantly Home by Imogen Clark is the heartbreakingly beautiful story of two women who have experienced devastating tragedies in their lives and how they help each other to continue living.

First we meet Pip Appleby, who accidentally kills a young boy who runs in front of her car. Although Pip was declared not responsible, she can't forgive herself and begins having panic attacks and collapses during a trial that she was involved in as a barrister in London. She heads back home to her family farm in Southwold to try to figure out how to heal and move on.

While there Pip finds the diary of Evelyn Mountcastle, which describes her time in the late 70s when she was an actress in London. She had just gotten a great part in a TV show which would make her name, when she suddenly returned to the family home in Southwold, never to be heard from again. When Pip reads the diary, she realizes she wants to find Evelyn and find out what happened to her and how she survived the tragic incident described in the diary.

This novel is a beautiful story of how two women, one young, one old can connect as kindred spirits and find a way to move past tragedy and plot a new course for their lives. I hated to leave Evelyn and Pip at book's end. Thank you to the author, Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. 4.5 stars

I enjoyed Reluctantly Home, while also finding it heartbreaking. The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I did not love Pip at the beginning, but found her much more likable and relatable as the story moved. Overall, definitely recommend!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good book. It kept my interest until the end. At one point I thought I had figured out which way it was going but I was pleasantly surprised that it went a different direction. Pip and Evelyn are the two main characters. Both are strong females but due to the hands they have been dealt by life/fate they go through long periods of time very weak and are not sure how to climb out of those deep, dark periods. The storyline was captivating. The characters well developed. I will recommend to others and will read other books from this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advance copy for my honest review.

Pip Appleby, a human rights lawyer, goes reluctantly home to Southwold in Suffolk in 2019 after a tragedy. Evelyn Hardcastle also goes reluctantly home in 1979 but for different reasons. A chance find in a charity shop by Pip brings the two women together with positive results.

The start of the book feels a bit clunky and slow but then something seems to clicks and the pace picks up and it becomes compelling. The characterisation is good, initially neither women are particularly easy to like especially Pip whose reactions to her parents at being home from London is not pleasant. Gradually you grow to understand that she feels empty inside, there’s a void that the tragedy has caused. There are interesting parallels in the two women’s lives, they’ve both encountered and suffered tragedy, they feel grief and they’re disconnected from life living in a state of limbo or in purgatory. Their first meeting is really good and it feels like a game of cat and mouse and there’s a feeling of crackling tension in the air - or is that the dust in Evelyn's neglected house?!! They size each other up, their connection grows and they find honesty and trust again. There’s the beginning of laughter and reigniting of lives and I really like the positive end. Without almost realising it you come to appreciate that both characters are very likeable but had hidden so much beneath protective armour.

Overall, an easy read which proves to be really enjoyable.

With thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for the arc in return for an honest review.

Reluctantly Home is one of those books that takes a look at the twists and turns of life, drawing you into the storyline. A tragic accident precipitates Pip to return home to the farm, a place where although she was loved she had desperately wanted to escape. She finds a diary written by a woman whose circumstances seem to have been quite similar to her own. Although 40 years have passed since the diary was written Pip becomes intrigued with the writer, a woman named Evelyn who had been a rising star.

Both women had dreams and professions that were derailed, hopes that were dashed to the ground and left to face an uncertain future. Pip becomes convinced that if she could find this woman and hear the rest of her story, she can gain insight into how to come to terms with having had her life and dreams turned upside down.

The book is well written and a good read.

Themes of resilience and identity run throughout this book. An interesting sub theme is the way our society has changed with regards to abuse of power especially in male/female relationships. Also explored are ways we deal with circumstances in our lives, the stories we tell ourselves and how those stories affect the choices we make- either trapping us or bringing new beginnings.

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. #goodreads #netgalley #ReluctantlyHome

I was pulled into the story on the first page, it was riveting. I loved how in order to heal from a tragic event which is out of ones control that you sometimes need someone who is going through the same thing to understand what's happening to them. The gift in this story is a diary that changes everything and allows both women to move on and become who they are suppose to be. Great Story.

I want to thank Lake Union Publishing, Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for this terrific story.

I've read a number of books by this author and enjoyed them all. She explores quite difficult topics and creates an interesting story without delving too deeply. This story revolves round Evelyn and Pip, who have ended up back in a small home town in Suffolk due to unexpected circumstances. Evelyn returned home in the 1980s, Pip more recently. The book starts using a dual timeline and I expected this to continue through most of the book, however quite quickly the story is all set in the present day which I was a bit disappointed about but this is where Evelyn and Pip meet up and their two stories progress. It is ultimately a feel good story which considering the back stories is comforting. The characters of Evelyn and Pip, although not entirely likeable, stayed with me for some days after I finished the book.

My thanks to NetGalley for a free early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I requested to read and review this for free from Lake Union Publishing. This is the first book I have read by author Imogen Clark. This book has a London Setting. This is a powerful story of how life can change in a second. After something happens and it changes your life. Can you go back to your old life? How do you move forward? Pip and Evelyn both have an important life changing moment. Can they help each other learn how to step forward or will time stand still for them. Can you ever really truly be forgiven by someone else or yourself. This book is for any type of reader and can be read anytime.

Reluctantly Home by Imogen Clark is an interesting comparison of the lives, events, and choices of two women from different generations. The book alternates the narrations of present-day Phillippa Rose Appleby and 1979-present day for Evelyn Mountcastle.
Pip can hardly wait to leave home and start her life at university and then later she becomes a successful barrister. An unfortunate accident that resulted in the death of a child has Pip back home and sheltering within the walls of her childhood room. She is racked with anxiety and a sense of failure after being unable to come to terms with the accident.
Evelyn is anxious to leave her home and become an actress. Her family cannot understand or show any support for her wanting to follow her dreams. She is waiting for her big break when a fateful meeting with a man who could make her dreams come true casts her fate for failure. Her big break for success must be placed on hold as she goes back home to a disapproving sister who resents her and the choices she has made.
It is by the unexpected find of a personal diary in a charity shop that leads Pip into the past events of Evelyn's life. Once she has read this diary, she feels she must know more about Evelyn and she decides to return the diary in hopes of speaking with Evelyn. An unlikely friendship develops and the two women who are so broken in their spirits struggle to find the strength to start their lives over.
As I read the story, Pip seemed very self-centered and there were instances she was disrespectful of others and their feelings. She resented how her mother tried to help her as she recovered.
Evelyn's life when she returned to her family home with her sister was a misery. Her sister Joan was spiteful and hateful. Evelyn allowed her to get by with being a bully, which led to more tragedy.
Publication Date: April 29, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

What a truly eye opening story of soul crushing loss and the struggle to find a way to live again. Imogen Clark weaves together a beautiful tale of family, loss, and new beginnings with a new friendship. I highly recommend this book to all.

What attracted me to this book was the rural Southwold, county Suffolk setting and the discovery of an old diary - a mystery! Also, I am an easy mark for a attractive cover and I just love the looks of this one.

The beginning of the book is set in London and we do travel back there briefly during the story. Phillipa Rose Appleby is from a rural area of England, growing up on a farm. She aspired to have a grander life than a farmwife and achieved her goals by becomng a barrister, QC which means Queen's Counsel. On the farm she was always known as Pip. When she begins her life in London she switches to a posher name, Rose.

One morning during her drive through London she has an accident. She is on her way to court when a young boy darts out on traffic. Rose struck him with her car. It's an accident and ruled so by the police, coroner and witnesses but Rose can't forgive herself. She is detroyed by guilt and panic attacks and returns home to Suffolk, hence the title of the book - Reluctantly Home.

Her parents are supportive but Pip, as she was always refered to at home, is impatient with her situation. She longs to go back to her London life yet she is still consumed with guilt and worries about having another panic attack in court. Stuck in a small town where life is decidedly slower and low key, she volunteers at a chaity shop to keep her occupied. Fortuitously she comes across a diary from 1983, donated by mistake, and lets herself escape her life by reading the diary of Evelyn Hardcastle.

Evelyn was an actress in London but her story is very interesting as laid out in the diary. Both Evelyn and Pip have one thing in common - they both felt stuck in Southwold and wanted their old lives back. Evelyn's story is engaging and resonates with Pip even though their reasons for being back home are different. I will say the ending was not what I would have predicted but I'm satisfied.

The only other novel I have read by Ms. Clark is The Last Piece and I enjoyed it very much. I've now discovered she has several books published which I intend to add to my to-read list. As a matter of fact, I just purchased Postcards from a Stranger which was on sale for $1.99 (Kindle version/ Amazon).

Publication date for Reluctantly Home is April 29, 2021 by Amazon Publishing UK. Genre is Women's Fiction and General Fiction.

Much thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. I was not compensated for the review and all opinions expressed here are mine.

Reluctantly Home is a story of forgiveness and friendship. Two women, Pip and Evelyn, one younger, one older, both struggling with tragedy and loss in their lives, become friends and ultimately help each other heal. I had a tough time getting into the novel at the beginning as Pip seemed like such an unlikable person, but a few chapters in, it became a can't-put-it-down kind of book for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In Imogen Clarks’ Reluctantly Home, we meet 2 women, Pip (aka Rose) and Evelyn. Pip has returned home to the farm she grew up on from London after a devasting accident. Working in a thrift shop to keep in mind engaged, she chances upon a diary that was unintentionally dropped off in a box of books. Intrigued by what she reads, she searches for Evelyn to return the diary. Evelyn, a woman in her 70’s has endured a life filled with tragedy of her own.Can this unlikely pair help to heal each other? An enjoyable and fast paced read.

As I reluctantly close the final chapter, I reflect that Imogen Clark delivered a thought-provoking and entertaining read. Penning a dual-linear timeline, the protagonists' lives mirror each other in spite of the years and dreams that separated them.

Growing up, Pip Appleby dreamed of leaving her small town and moving to London. Shelving her belongings along with her name, Rose Appleby emerged as a prestigious human rights lawyer. When a tragedy forces her to return home, a mysterious diary awakens her desires to connect with the world.

Golden-girl Evelyn Mountcastle was on the cusp of getting her heart's desire. On the casting couch, she made a choice that altered her life. Scribbling her sorrows into a beloved diary, she locked away that part of her life.

At first glance, Evelyn and Pip appear to be unlikely friends. Upon further inspection, life altered their plans and left them retreating from society. On their own, they are unable to move forward. Will sharing their stories give them the courage to pick up the pieces of the past and take control of their future?

Thank you to #NetGally and Amazon Publishing for the early edition of #ReluctantlyHome in exchange for an honest review. During a time when we're left reeling and reluctantly at home, Clark illustrates that change is possible. Concealing our dreams to within four walls only limits our actions not desires. Admitting defeat doesn't mean weakness, instead it presents an opportunity for a new start.

“Imogen Clark is a master at creating flawed, real, loveable characters and exploring their emotions. This novel cleverly weaves together the past and present, and will leave you thinking about the story long after you finish the final page.” - Soraya M. Lane, Kindle #1 bestselling author of Wives of War and The Last Correspondent

A heartbreaking yet refreshingly hopeful story. Such triumphs after so much tragedy. I loved the friendship that was formed between pip and Evelyn and how their stories were so similar but different too. An emotionally rich depth in characters made reading Reluctantly Home a joy. You could relate to starting over even if you didn’t quite see how those changes effected the ones around you. Sometimes starting over is nothing like what you envisioned but it is what you needed. Loved it.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc

This book was a fantastic, surprising read. I devoured it during a rainy Sunday. It took me three cups of tea and two crumpets to read. It was a book with little description of place or person but the dialogue and storyline made up for it! It was rich in conversation, pace and surprising moments. I enjoyed that Imogen Clark chose not to go the romance route and kept the spotlight on the women's journey through to redemption and friendship.
A wonderful tale about how stuck we can become when tragedy strikes and the wonders of a chance encounter and a lot of curiousity. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

This book grabbed me from the very first page and I could not put it down. I can’t imagine living with what Pip had to live with after a horrific accident! I felt all the emotions with this book. While working in a place that accepts donated goods, Pip finds an old diary from 1983 that she didn’t want to read but found herself doing so. Trying to put together the pieces, she then confronts the woman who wrote in the diary and returns it. A friendship is born. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

Bittersweet and wonderful are two words for this story. The book will be the only thing you care about at some points along the story. It’s a great tale that we can all relate to a bit.

What a wonderful read! Pip and Evelyn seem like an unlikely pair but life experiences have a way of bringing people together to help them through their personal issues. Fate throws terrible hurdles into everyone's lives. Both women have worked hard to change their personas but end up returning to the roots they tried to escape. Please read this book. I found myself wanting to find out the ending - you will too! Thank you Imogen Clark for this delightful read, Amazon Publishing UK/Lake Union Publishing, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and recommend this book!

I read The Last {Piece and fell in love with Imogen Clark's writing. The twists and turns captivate your interest. In Reluctantly Home, the story starts and the the plot does an abrupt twist. It's those surprises that keep you wanting more. Hard to put down. I can't wait for more!

First, thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This was a new author and title for me. The simple but pretty cover drew me in. I found this book to be a quick , easy read. The story was interesting and thought provoking. What would I do and how would I feel if this happened to me. I can’t imagine and hope to never experience anything like it. I liked the dual narrative and hearing both stories. I didn’t feel the similarities between their experiences but it made more sense as I got closer to the end. I enjoyed seeing the characters grow and overcome their difficult experiences. I liked this title and would rate this 3.5 stars

The story starts with a shocking event and slows as the character copes with the consequences. It got engaging with the intersecting timelines and circumstances of Pip and Evelyn. That’s when I truly got drawn into the story. It was worth it to stick around.

This is an interesting read that begins with a shocking accident. Pip Appleby’s life changes suddenly. She’s a successful lawyer, living the highlife in London with her equally successful partner. Due to a terrible accident, Pip finds her world turned upside down. Unable to cope, she finds herself back at her parents farmhouse being cared for by her loving and patient parents.

Volunteering at the local charity shop, Pip comes across a diary that has been dropped off for donation. While reading the diary we are given a glimpse in to the life of Evelyn Mountcastle forty years earlier. With flashbacks in time we get to know the story of Evelyn who’s life also took an unexpected turn.

Pip is intrigued by Evelyn’s story and sets off to learn more about Evelyn who lives locally. When their path’s cross, changes come about for both of them.

This book covers several different topics including PTSD and tragedy, isolation and flashbacks to sexual harassment. Most of all it’s a story of friendship. Friendship can take many different forms and human connection with the right person or people can do us the world of good. With some people it just clicks and when you are lucky enough to find real friendship, I don’t think there is a greater gift.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received an advance copy of, Reluctantly Home, by Imogen Clark. Pip finds a diary from an old actress and reads it, and them meets her, judging her the whole time. I did not like this book.

I've have enjoyed previous books by Imogen Clark and was delighted to get the opportunity to review Reluctantly Home. Unfortunately the book did not live up to my expectations and I struggled to finish it.

After a beginning that was rather depressing, the book became more positive as Pip and Evelyn became friends. They both came out of the sadness which enveloped their lives and together were able to find hope in a new future.
An enjoyable read, as are all the other books by Imogen Clark, with the usual themes of family underpinning the narrative.

Imogen Clark’s Reluctantly Home was an emotional roller coaster that pulls you in from the first moment and doesn’t let go.

Pip is recovering from a traumatic incident that sends her reeling. To help with her recovery, she’s begun volunteering in a local charity shop. When an old diary arrives with a box of books, Pip decides to take just a little peek, to help find the rightful owner, of course.

Evelyn Mountcastle is an aspiring actress in 1979, on the verge of her big break, when she must return home unexpectedly to her overbearing sister and a life entirely different than what she planned.


This dual timeline novel is paced brilliantly, with the stories of these two incredible characters interweaving in just the right way. What really makes it irresistible are the two protagonists.

Pip and Evelyn are vastly different and yet its their similarities that draw one to the other. They’re both likable, relatable, and flawed. They’re the kind of characters that you’re sad to leave, and that you hope get a sequel or at least a short story so you can spend just a bit more time with them. They’re thoroughly likable, the exact kind of person its easy to imagine befriending. They’re realistically flawed individuals, beautifully crafted to leave a lasting impression.

The themes in this novel are heavy, and it’s a safe bet to say you won’t walk away with dry eyes. But the heartbreak isn’t for heartbreak’s sake; this tugs on your emotions because it is so accurate. That’s why it cuts so deep.

This book is hard on the heart, but its also thought provoking, gently handled, and one that is sure to stay with you. Though the themes are heavy, it isn’t pointedly done to provoke an emotional response. Information is measured and meted out to build tension and intrigue in just the right way.

The cadence and voice of this writing is reminiscent of hearing a wonderful story from a great friend who just so happens to be a master storyteller; the sensitive subjects are handled appropriately while the story inspires empathy and introspective thinking.

I was gripped from start to finish by this novel. I adored it, and thought it was just so well done. It’s a tricky topic, and it definitely made me cry, but it also made me think. I just can’t resist a book that makes me take a closer look, that shifts my perspective, that makes me think about it while I’m doing life in between reading it. I really loved these characters; Pip is incredibly relatable, on the bad end of a tragic situation, and yet even as she struggles she strives to do better. Evelyn is inspiring, a girl full of moxie who becomes a strong, capable woman the precise moment it’s asked of her. I just loved living in their world, seeing 1979 London and modern day Southwold.

Imogen Clark’s Reluctantly Home will be available on April 29, 2021 from Lake Union Publishing and Amazon Publishing UK. I’m grateful to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this novel for my review.

Pip Appleby is a successful barrister in London when a tragic accidents sends her fleeing back to her childhood home in Southwold Suffolk. Whilst helping in a charity shop she comes across a diary seemingly abandoned in a box of books. As she's drawn into the musings of the author she starts asking questions about who she could be.
Meanwhile Evelyn Mountcastle lives the life of a recluse following her own tragedies. As their lives entwine, hope to move on is brought to both Pip and Evelyn
A lovely story that the reader is drawn into from the beginning.
Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own

In Reluctantly Home author Imogen Clark gives us two heroines and two stories that eventually merge. Both of the main characters left their hometown for greener pastures and ended up having to come back home. This story leaves the reader with a nice warm feeling. I want to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an early copy to review.

In this, her fifth full-length novel, Imogen Clark proves yet again her superb talent for producing convincing family dramas and her skill in creating characters with which readers can truly identify. This time she does so with an engaging tale of parallel lives, initially played out in a dual narrative set across two different time frames. Two women, forty years apart, each make a break away from their stifling home lives in a sleepy Suffolk village to seek their fortunes amongst the bright lights of London. On the surface, they appear to be successfully fulfilling their dreams, free from the shackles and embarrassment of family expectation and censure. But when each find their hard-fought for and treasured independence snatched away by a life-changing event, and they are forced to return to their roots, they have to re-evaluate not only the choices they have made in creating new identities but also the old lives from which they thought they’d escaped.
In many ways this is a coming-of-age story, one which will chime with anyone who has wanted to forge a different life to the one they believe has been chosen for them. Many will understand the desire of the main characters to break free from the boredom which accompanies the familiarity of the family home. Readers may identify too with the characters’ conviction that they can make better choices for themselves and do without the support of family. Both women learn the hard way that independence brings responsibility as well as freedom. Both come to realise it is not the mistakes we make which define us but the way in which we deal and learn to live with those mistakes.
Reluctantly Home is also a story about the value of true friendship: the comfort and security of spending time with those who have known us since childhood and the benefits of cross-generational relationships – how young and old alike can learn from each other’s experiences.
As ever, the author’s writing is rich and the story well-constructed. The female characters in particular felt fully formed and were very convincing, and whilst I was not particularly surprised by any of the plot turns, this did not detract in any way from my enjoyment of the story. I was especially pleased that the loose ends were not drawn together in a predictable conclusion. I found myself drawn in by the main characters and invested in what happens to them – it was easy to imagine myself in their shoes, wondering how I would feel and react in the same circumstances and it was this that kept me turning the pages quickly. I thought too that the story’s treatment of a #MeToo situation was particularly clever – a reminder both of the limitations and difficulties of revisiting events from a very different past and of how other people’s memory of the same event is usually very different to our own. The novel gave me a lot to think about long after I had finished it and that is the true sign of a story well told.

I am grateful to the author and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for wish I have agreed to give an honest review.

Reluctantly Home by Imogen Clark was a great easy read. I gave it a 4/5 star. Thank you NetGalley for this opportunity.
2 main characters, Pip and Evelyn find each other under terrible circumstances.
Pip is a lawyer in London living with her boyfriend and enjoying life. She has a tragic accident and it destroyers her. She has to go back home to heal and while there she finds a old diary at the thrift store she is working at. She reads it and decides to find the rightful owner.

Evelyn is an elderly lady living alone after tragedy strikes her family. Pip and Evelyn meet up and help each other heal and turn their lives around.

This is a very stratifying story. I would recommend this story and can't wait to read more books from this author.

Triggers: Panic attacks
Reluctantly Home is a beautiful story about forgiving yourself and moving forward in life. I suffer from panic and anxiety attacks so it resonated with me a bit. This novel has parallel stories of two women and for different reasons are stuck in life and unable to move forward. Though its slow going in the beginning it does pick up after a while and when it does its difficult to put it down. Definitely a wonderful

A beautiful and poignant story of friendship and forgiveness. Well written with slow build pacing. Relatable characters that are engaging. A solid women's fiction read.

A very nice read, well written and thought provoking.
The story is interesting, the dual narrative engaging.
Pip Appleby returns to her family home after a terrible accident and, while working in a charity shop, has the opportunity to read an old diary (discarded by accident) of an ex-actress who lives locally and whom she eventually gets to know on returning the diary. The friendship between them will help them both overcome their past, the sense of guilt and loneliness.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found this story to be interesting although it seemed to move slowly. Pip Appleby finds herself back home after a tragic event. She is not happy but when she finds a journal in a bokstore she becomes immersed in reading it. She is obsessed with learning all about an actress, Evelyn Mountcastle who also had a life altering event. Though generations apart their similarities haunt Pip and she seeks to find Evelyn. The alternating chapters reveal the history of each character. I loved the cover of the book which did entice me to chose it to read. Thanks to Net Galley for a copy, the opinions are my own.

When a tragic event disrupts the life of the eminently successful Rose, she returns to to the safe haven of the family farm where she spent her childhood reconnecting with familiar faces to aid in her recuperation. Whilst volunteering in a local charity shop and sorting through a box of donated goods, she discovers a handwritten diary which irresistibly leads her life to become entwined with that of its author. The parallel lives of two women facing life-changing events draws the reader into a story which avoids the predictable. The concluding chapter leaves the reader reflecting on whether this is indeed the conclusion of the story or could perhaps be the opening chapter of the next book.

This is a highly recommended read. It fired my imagination with an original storyline.

As a successful human rights lawyer living in London, Pip Appleby seems to have it all. She has a lovely flat in the perfect location, she has a charming and successful boyfriend and a job she loves. This all changes when Pip finds herself unable to cope in the aftermath of a tragic accident and she finds herself back at home at her family’s rural farm in Southwold. The humble life she tried so hard to leave behind suddenly becomes her new reality.

After discovering the diary of Evelyn Mountcastle, Pip enjoys being able to distance herself from her own life, and emerges herself into someone else’s. Evelyn’s diary reveals her life as an actress in the early 1980’s and how she too found herself reluctantly returning to Southwold. Pip can’t help notice the parallels between Evelyn’s life, also marred with tragedy, and that of her own.

Reluctantly Home is an interesting exploration into grief and guilt and how people react to tragedy. Imogen Clark isn’t afraid to tackle some really difficult themes and topics such as anxiety, death and sexual assault were both realistic and sensitively done.

The story moved at a slow pace with hints dropped throughout before eventually unveiling the truth. However I felt there wasn’t any real suspense or mystery as the “secrets” were, in my opinion, quite obvious and as I suspected. The book is well written and the characters were likeable and realistic. I just felt there was something missing. It’s a nice story of female resilience and the power of friendship, but I just felt it lacked any real impact.

You can find my full review at https://mmbbookblog.com/reluctantly-home-by-imogen-clark-review/

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a gentle, unassuming read with a warm cast of characters and an interesting plot.

Pip Appleby finds herself back in her childhood home in the sleepy town of Southwold after a tragic accident. When she comes across a diary of an Evelyn Mountcastle, she can’t help but read it. This dual narrated story covers 3 timelines. Evelyn in London, Evelyn in the Diary and Pip in the present day. Of course, these worlds collide and the outcome is lovely.

I really liked the characters in this book, particularly Pip. I understand entirely how she felt and found her incredibly realistic as a woman damaged by grief.

I enjoyed the writing style and found the book nicely paced. I’ll definitely look for more works by this author! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book.

4 stars / This review will be posted at BookwormishMe.com on 15 April 2021.


Pip has moved home to Southwold to heal wounds. An accident, not of Pip’s making, turns her whole world upside down. She no longer feels capable of her job as a barrister. Living under her parents’ roof seems to be the only escape and shelter she has while she tries to move beyond her pain and trauma.

While volunteering at the local thrift store, she comes across an old journal. Pip becomes immersed in the life of Evelyn Mountcastle, former actress, who like herself, has to move home to Southwold in the wake of an unexpected accident. Will Evelyn’s life be what Pip needs to move on?

Loved this whole story. The interwoven past of Evelyn’s and the present of Pip’s lives and how they are not the same, but similar in the way their own tragedies made them prisoners of their minds. Imogen Clark writes so beautifully about life and love and the human spirit. I would read her books again and again. I was so wrapped up in this story, I didn’t want to put it down.

Reluctantly Home was a very heartwarming story of two women struggle with the same issues who end up befriending each other. With sweet Pip and her life turned upside down she seeks shelter and heads home to her parents farm. I throughly enjoyed this read with characters who you can totally relate too.

This is a very interesting story about 2 unrelated women who have suffered great tragedies in their lives and how they deal with them and move on. One woman is 30 years old and the other woman is 69. They both ran back home when their respective tragedies occurred and by a twist of fate meet and become friends. As the friendship is growing, they end up helping each other cope with their respective grief and guilt and figure out how to move on with their lives. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.

While the more modern character is fairly realistic and her motivations strong, the character of the past isn't nearly as interesting, and not worthy of what could have been a good plot.

One of my favorite things on Earth is the combination of two people, of different ages, with similar traumas/struggles. This combines two stories with eloquence and grace. The only negative would be that I thought it ended rather abruptly and I wished I had seen a bit more at the end (epilogue, perhaps). That's a very small quibble, though, and I greatly enjoyed Pip as a character, especially. I felt she had such an interesting character in Pip.

I had a hard time getting into this book. It was very slow moving in the beginning. Rose Appleby is a human rights lawyer in London. One day while driving, she had a terrible car accident that she could not get over. She is left with nightmares and becomes unable to work as a result of her panic attacks. She is forced to go home and recoup at her parents home outside of London, the home she grew up waiting for the chance to escape.

Hating the rural farm life, she reinvented herself in London to become the posh person she thought she wanted to be. But in Suffolk she is known as Pip. After returning home, Pip volunteers at a charity shop. One day she discovers the diary from 1983 of Evelyn Montcastle. She becomes absorbed in her life, finding many similarities to her own. Feeling that the diary was given away by mistake, she goes about finding Evelyn and returning it.

The book’s pace picks up considerably in the second half and you find yourself wanting to continue to find out what happened in Evelyn’s life to make her hide away in her home for years. The women become friends and help each other heal from the terrible things that happened to them. It also brings into account the things that were expected of women in the 1980’s and that has now become the me too movement of today.

I thank Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book before it’s release and to give a review of it.

Thank you to Net Galley for an ARC of Reluctantly Home. I thoroughly enjoyed Reluctantly Home. The book opens with Pip, otherwise known as Rose to her friends in London, involved in a fatal accident. After suffering a nervous breakdown, she returns to a small town outside of London and her parent's farm to recover and heal. Her boyfriend of two years visits her at her parent's house and breaks up with her. She is at a very low point in her life. She works in a local second-hand store to keep herself occupied. While working there, she discovers a box of books that someone has donated, One of the books is someone's personal diary. Pip is intrigued because her life feels so chaotic so she begins to read the diary. She is struck by how her life seems similar to this other woman's life. A man shows up at the second hand store in desperation to find the diary. Pip realizes that the woman in the diary may still be alive and she proceeds to discover if she is. When the two women meet, an unexpected friendship emerges and helps both women to heal. I enjoyed the two storylines of the book and wanted to know what happened to both characters who have reluctantly returned to the same small town.

Enjoyed it, but it wasn't my favorite by the author. I LOVED all of the author's previous books. I think it was because I didn't love the characters, mainly Pip. Pip acted more like a teenager than an adult, with the way she treated her parents. She had an air of superiority and acted like she was better than everyone in her hometown. She was definitely two different people. When she was Rose, she cared more about material things, living in the right part of London and being seen at the best restaurants. As Pip, she was more herself and didn't mind being seen in jeans, working at a charity shop or riding an old bike. I really enjoyed Evelyn's story. Her sister was definitely a piece of work. I hate to say it, but didn't feel bad for what happened to her. Pip and Evelyn were perfect friends for each other. They were able to help each other heal. The Jez and Pip "relationship" really wasn't needed. Suddenly Pip has feelings for someone she ignored for years and was jealous of his fiancé.

Definitely recommend the book. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Amazon Publishing UK through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Pip and Evelyn have something in common. They are trying to deal with the death of a child. Pip accidentally killed a young boy who ran out in front of her car. Pip has moved home to recover. Evelyn lost her little girl who drowned in a pond after wandering away from her home. Both women meet and try to help each other.

Change......... We all face it. But what if this change is not of our own doing and it's forced upon us in a blink of an eye? This is what happens to Pip Appleby, she's a human rights lawyer with a lavish London home. In an instant she's no longer the same person. A tragic accident resulting in a child's death takes it all away though it's ruled accidental her mind won't allow her to get on with life.
Replaying the accident daily she has nightmares about it and it stunts her growth as a person mentally. Unable to cope with this self imposed guilt she moves back home to the farm as life once was and is treated like the teen she was when she left.
While working at a charity thrift shop she finds a diary in the donation box and it changes her life after reading it.
She knows she shouldn't read such personal information but figures a little peek won't hurt.
Before she know's it she's done knowing she must find the author of the diary and return it she sets out to do so. Reading the diary not only changes her life but the author of the diary, an older woman but it also changes the author's life when they meet.
Heartbreaking and very realistic tells the story of how we can become a prisoner to our own mind when we make an assumption of how we perceive others of seeing us.
Absolutely excellent book! A quick read, I couldn't put it down!
#ReluctantlyHome #NetGalley
Pub Date 29 Apr 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 stars.

An interesting read about two women facing parallel traumas at different times, but their lives intersect because of mere chance. This ultimately leads to the women meeting in person and processing their traumas and grief with the other’s help. This book is predictable in that you will know where it will lead but it provides an in depth look at how trauma is not just about the physical pain but the mental and emotional aspects that linger.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Who doesn't dream about finding an unknown person's diary and learning about the diarist and yourself as your read through it?
The premise of the story is that a successful attorney has a life-changing accident and must move home to move on. Loved the contrast of the two main characters' lives during different decades and the way everything was tied together.
I am so grateful to NetGalley to have received a digital copy to read and review.

Pip Appleby was a successful barrister in London, but at the start of the book we witness a tragic accident when she hits and kills a little boy. Reeling from this incident she is unable to work and temporarily moves back to the farm her parents own. Working at a charity shop, she finds a diary from 1983 that sets up the entirety of this novel.

Evelyn is who wrote this diary and we know she was an actress, who ended up pregnant just after she receives her big break and decides instead to move back home with her sister and have the baby. Several years later tragedy ensues and Evelyn is more or less a recluse who has a bit of a hoarding issue.

Pip and Evelyn come together that is beautiful and healing to both of them. This is a very simple story this is just beautiful. The biggest takeaway is forgiveness, for yourself and each other. Told through diary entries and conversations Clark gives us lovely story that will stay with you awhile and maybe even make you reflect on some of your pasts. I recommend this one highly.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free electronic ARC of this excellent novel from Netgalley, Imogen Clark, and publisher Amazon UK - Lake Union Publishing. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read Relectantly Home of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Imogen Clark always takes us on an emotional roller-coaster. I am pleased to recommend her works to friends and family.

Pip Appleby knows at a young age what she wanted to do with her life. She worked hard all through school, got scholarships that took her through college and legal schooling, and took herself straight to London with a high profile job in a prestigious law firm, a fancy apartment, an enviable fiance, and never really looked back to the small town of Southwold that she left behind. She even changed her name to her middle name of Rose. Pip didn't fit her new lifestyle.

But tragedy strikes her a hard blow just out of the blue. Pip finds herself suffering frequent frantic panic attacks, afraid to appear in public, not able to drive, and her only recourse is to put her London life on hold and go home to the small town and parents she so cavalierly left behind, and try to heal as best she can. There is no guarantee that she will ever be able to return to that fast-paced, stressful job in the London courts. The boyfriend also lets her down just a few weeks after her return to her family home to heal.

The only thing that involves her mind enough to get past her angst and fears is studying the diary, written in 1983 by a local girl who became a London actress named Evelyn Mountcastle. The diary came to the local thrift shop in a box of donated paperbacks, a recycle store where Pip is volunteering part-time to get out of the house. Evelyn was having a very bad year, back in 1983. A single mother, Evelyn found herself spending more time than she wants at the family home with her sister Joan and daughter Scarlett. Pip becomes intrigued with finding out what she can about Evelyn and her life, both in tony London and in tiny Southwold. A life, bearing a disquieting resemblance to that being contemplated by Pip. Maybe it's possible to have both, a prestigious career in the law and a quiet retreat to reset and renew. With compromise, she could perhaps have a real life. Or not.

Reluctantly Home is told in two timelines....1979 and 2019.
An emotional journey of two women meeting by chance. The story is both heartbreaking and uplifting.
It took a bit to get into the story as I couldn’t see where the author was going with it. I am so glad I continued reading on as it was such an endearing story.
I rather enjoyed Reluctantly Home and highly recommend it. Imogen Clark writes a beautiful story of loss and new beginnings.
Thank you to NetGallery, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

Two tragedies a generation apart, result in two women’s decision to return home to the lives they had hoped to put behind them.
Pip Appleby comes across Evelyn Mountcastle’s diary and reads her story, which has similarities to her’s, the loss of a child, and fleeing back to their hometown.
This is a story of tragedy that changed two lives significantly, both struggling to adapt to their old environments and dependence on their families. It’s a story of repairing the results of broken lives secondary to tragic events.
This book had me hooked from page one. Imogene Clark is a skilled storyteller, with well developed and interesting characters.
My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Lake Union Publishing for a wonderful read.

I enjoyed this story about two women, in two different time periods, whose lives have interesting parallels. At first I didn't really like either woman, but as the story unfolds I came to understand them and like them. They both endured tragedies that changed them, and left them disconnected from life. An unlikely meeting brings them together. They share their stories and help each other move on with their lives. It is told in alternating voices, which I always enjoy. I found it to be a poignant story about grief, forgiveness and new beginnings. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A terrific job as a lawyer, lovely London home, caring and handsome lover. Pip Appleby has everything going for her and then she’s involved in a tragic accident that takes the life of a young boy. Broken and reeling from the accident she is no longer the cutting edge lawyer with nerves of steel, she cannot focus and she returns to her childhood home to hide in the small village where she grew up. She loses her job, her handsome but weak lover dumps her, her father drives to her apartment and returns with her belongings.
Then one day while volunteering at a local thrift store she comes across a diary of a once famous actress, Evelyn Mountcastle. As Pip slowly reads through the diary she quickly draws parallels between the life of the actress also besot with tragedy of her own. When Pip discovers that Evelyn still lives in the same small village, she sets out to meet her and together they set about helping each other reach beyond the tragedies they have suffered and help each other heal.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my unsolicited comments.

Reluctantly Home is a highly engaging story told from the point of view of two women.

Pip, a London lawyer, has returned to her childhood home as she recovers from a traumatic event. When she comes across the journal of Evelyn Mountcastle, Pip is intrigued by the woman and uncovers a bit of mystery, causing her to seek out Evelyn. Evelyn has become a recluse, due to her own tragic history, and resists the idea of engaging in conversation with Pip.

I absolutely adored the pairing of Pip and Evelyn. These two women come from very different backgrounds, yet find they have quite a bit in common. This unlikely pairing also finds that there is healing in finding someone who recognizes your pain and accepts you for who you are.
The book has endearing characters, intrigue and an insightful look at working through trauma. This was my first story by author Imogen Clark and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you to the Lake Union and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a delightful story about two women living in different times but so very alike who befriends each other later in life. It is a pretty good story & I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Reluctantly Home tells the story of two women who are trapped by life's events. It alternates between different time periods. The flashbacks to the 1970's and 1980's are from Evelyn's past. They explain a bit about how she ended up where she is. Pip stumbles across one of Evelyn's diaries when it's accidentally donated to the shop she works at. Within the pages, Pip finds solace at a time when her own world has come undone. Pip goes on a search to find out who Evelyn is and see if she still lives in town. When Pip goes to return the diary, the women discover they have a connection. It seems as if Pip wants to help Evelyn conquer the ghosts of her past so she can live in the present. However, Evelyn's friendship is just as healing for Pip.

This was a lovely story about an unlikely friendship that enables two women to see past their individual pain. They find a way to like themselves again and a desire to live their lives fully. They each find a way to move forward.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Poignant Story of Surviving Incredible Loss
This novel is the story of two women, a generation apart, who have both had to face incredible loss. And neither is dealing with it well. Many parts of their stories will leave the reader teary-eyed. Other parts will leave you raging angry. But the end will leave you wanting more. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys women's fiction. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

This is the story of Pip and Evelyn. Pip was a barrister in present day London before an accident leaves a little boy dead and Pip wracked with guilt. Evelyn was an actress in London in the 70s before losing a child to tragedy herself and has been self-imprisioned in her home ever since. These two meet when Pip finds one of Evelyn's diaries in the charity ship she works in and develop a relationship that is mutually beneficial.

The story starts out very quickly and abruptly with a flashback to the accidental death of the young boy. It was a rough way to make Pip's acquaintance. It then dragged a bit as both stories developed, with some awkward transitioning between the two story lines. It did pick up some in the second half, but honestly I feel like this part is where the story should have focused and it should have been far more developed. I think the author almost gave too much away right at the beginning as she introduced both characters, and it lead to less suspense or emotional connection when they revealed things to each other.

Overall, I felt I just wanted more from this book. More story, more development, more relationship between the two women.

Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC of this book - all opinions are my own.

Pip Appleby is a successful lawyer in London and living the life she always dreamed of until tragedy strikes one day on her way to court. Pip does not see the young boy step in front of her car until it is too late. Dealing with the guilt of what has happened, Pip retreats to her childhood home in the English countryside and begins spending her days by helping in a charity shop. One day while sorting through a box of books that has been donate, Pip comes across a diary of actress Evelyn Mountcastle. As Pip reads through the diary she begins to feel a connection with Evelyn and decides to track down the reclusive actress to find out what ended up happening to her.

A story of family, loss, and dealing with unforeseen tragedies to eventually forgive oneself. Highly recommend this book.

I have just spent about twenty four hours with Pip and Evelyn. Pip found Evelyn's diary, and discovered that even though there is thirty plus years between them, their lives almost mirror one another. They both escaped small town claustrophobia and experienced a sense of freedom, and both had to return home through tragedy and consequence. Through this unexpected friendship they learn that guilt can not be your anchor, and that life is for living..
A beautifully written tale about how easy it is to become victims of our circumstances. A book full of lively and sad characters who are looking for hope.

Pip and Evelyn both returned from London to Southwold after tragedy= Pip in 2019 and Evelyn in 1979. Pip. who had left Southwold behind without a look back- she even changed her name- has come home and is trying to heal. She finds Evelyn's diary in a box of books, reads it, and seeks her out. Evelyn was an actress until....No spoilers from me. The two women eventually meet and discover that they can help one another. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. It's a good generous read.

At first I thought this story might be a bit too gentle for my tastes but instead I found it was a clever exploration of how people can be trapped by the stories they tell themselves rather than how others would see the same set of circumstances.

I was drawn to the book because it features a diary and I can't resist the opportunity to nose inside a diary, fictional or not! When this particular diary falls into the hands of Pip, former barrister currently working in a charity shop, she starts to read.

The diary belonged to Evelyn Mountcastle who had also had to return to Southwold back some forty years previously. Finding out about her life helps Pip come to terms with the changes to her own.

A satisfying tale that warmed my heart.

I hadn't expected this book to be quite so light and frothy. It is a rather sweet, feel-good book, which will appeal to a lot of people. However, I found it full of cliche, with rather shallow characters who are all either good or bad. Perhaps I have just been unlucky with all the barristers I have ever worked with, but none of them have been anywhere near as sweet as Pip.

In RELUCTANTLY HOME, Imogen Clark shares the story of Pip and Evelyn. Reluctantly, Pip has returned to the small town, the farm and the family that she abandoned years ago for an exciting life in London as Rose, successful barrister and perfectly turned out woman. A terrible, unavoidable accident for which Pip blames herself has reduced her to an incapable wreck, prone to panic attacks and unable to connect, to feel, to think for herself. The chance reading of a diary of an aspiring actress who has also returned to that tiny village and lived shut up and isolated for decades leads to the meeting of Pip and Evelyn, two broken women who share their stories and together create new perspectives that allow them to return to the world of the living as their fullest, most creative, and loving selves. This was a propulsive read, fluid and wonderfully rendered with the different points of view and timelines that create a vibrant and enjoyable world. Kudos to Clark for yet another wonderful novel. I received an advance reader copy of this novel from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review.

This is a well written and well described book. Pip’s life was built on a stack of cards and when one of them was pulled by a hideous tragedy, the whole lot came down and she had to return to the life she had tried to escape. The same occurred with Evelyn but in a different way and time. This is a story of hope and friendship and how talking will always help. Would recommend.

I struggled with the first half of the book and thought about not finishing it. But once I got to the second half of the book, I fell in love with it and wanted that section to be even longer.

I really enjoyed the characters of Pip and Evelyn.

Thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.

A maybe /ought to read for any parent of a reluctant returner or the reluctant returner themselves ( as a parent of two boomerang returners ). However most do so for more prosaic reasons than our Reluctantly Home Pip who has a very upsetting reason of her own that led to a devastating effect on her work, social, romantic and most of all her mental health.
A chance find in the charity shop she volunteers in leads to her subsequent return to a happier frame of mind and life. On the way she realises how supportive and wonderful her parents are ( hurrah ) and not the over protective busybodies she felt them to be previously ( thanks Imogen, from a supportive not over protective mum ). An altogether nicely put together story which will hold your interest from start to finish, thank you Netgalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Pip Appleby is a success by anyone’s standards. She has an enviable job as a human rights barrister, a model-handsome boyfriend, and an address in Shoreditch. Everything has lined up perfectly for her...until an accident takes everything away in a second. She shelves her expensive red-soled heels and retreats to her family’s farm. Her new life is a far cry from her old one—surrounded by farmland, and relegated to selling items in a charity shop. Her life is now lived in fear and although she is surrounded by family, she feels lost.

Evelyn Montcastle was once a rising actress, whose past is shrouded in mystery. Her diary is found by Pip in the charity shop and it opens up a mystery for her. Who is the mysterious Evelyn whose life seems tragic, and sad, and somehow parallels her own? The women meet and they start to unravel the mystery of each other’s past. Then slowly each woman gives the other what she needs to help understand the past and move into the future.

I loved this book of exploring the past and facing the future. The characters were also well-written and it was hard not to love both Pip and Evelyn. So many lessons in this book, and beneath it all the thread of the friend who accepts you for who you are (despite your past) and supports you.

I really enjoyed this book. While there weren't really any surprises with the plot, I appreciated the story nonetheless. I felt the recognition and healing of two broken people very keenly as I read this book.

Sometimes the strongest friendships arise from the unlikeliest of circumstances.

Damaged, fragile Pip has returned to her childhood home in exile while she takes time to mentally recover from a tragic, traumatic accident. In the course of her job at a thrift shop, she finds a diary that changes her life and facilitates her healing. The more Pip learns about the author, the more determined she is to find her. Of course, the author of this diary has her own story.

Evelyn, the diarist, has her own rather traumatic story that she must come to terms with. I found both of these women engaging and realistic. Their situations were all too real and I found it totally believable the way in which each dealt with their situation. As their friendship developed, you can't help but pull for them both to come out on top of their troubles.

A lovely book, a serious book, with a strong message of support, love, friendship, and healing. Thank you to Imogen Clark, NetGalley, and the publisher for the ARC.

I gave this book 5 stars, firstly because the first chapter had so much energy I actually felt as though I was in the middle of all the action.

The second reason is that I fell in love with the character of Evelyn Mountcastle. My heart broke over and over at the hand she had been dealt and the way people treated her. She is a woman who I will remember for a long time.

Unfortunately, I was not as captivated with Pip Appleby. If the author’s intention was to make her so snobby that she felt her family and the place where she was born was beneath her, then that definitely came across. Although Pip did redeem herself a little along the way, I think the path she eventually went down, although not to my liking, was very much in keeping with her character.

Imogen Clark has approached the issue of sexual abuse in the 70s in a sensitive but pragmatic way which is so in keeping with that era. She writes with the utmost compassion, honesty and intelligence about the subject of death and the hurt, anger and sense of loss which follows.

This is not an easy book to read, which makes it all the more worthy of setting aside time to delve into the friendship between Pip and Evelyn.

After a horrific accident, Rose "Pip" Appleby returns home with her 'tail between her legs'. She worked hard to become one of the top human rights attorneys in London, leaving her small town life in the rearview mirror. To return to the life she thought left behind is, for her, a step down and humiliating.

Now working as a sales clerk at a local thrift store, Pip happens upon an old diary. She begins to read it and sees some commonality with the writer and her current situation. She later finds out the owner of the diary is a once actess, and local, named Evelyn Mountcastle. She also learns that Evelyn still resides there in town. What is there for Pip to do but seek Evelyn out and return her diary and see if she is willing to talk to her about the words written on the pages. Can speaking with Evelyn help heal her heart and ease the guilt she feels?

Well this is another one that wasn't quite what I expected and one I ended up enjoying. It's about life and accidents that happen and how those accidents can sometimes define us. After a while though, there are choices to make .. do we let the accidents keep defining who we are and let the pain and guilt run our lives? Or do we find a way to dig deep and heal. Do we heal alone or try to reach out and share our hearts .. our fears .. and let others help in that healing. Friendships, even unexpected ones, are a wonderful addition to life. They can make life bearable and the craziest moments seem like a memory.

This was a delightful read and one I wholeheartedly recommend. I appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a copy of this E-Book. All opinions expressed herein are mine and mine alone.

Hard work, a successful career, a nice home, and a handsome boyfriend don't always guarantee a happy ending. When Pip is involved in a fatal accident, her world comes crashing down and she heads home to the country. She discovers a diary written years previously by an actress who has dropped out of sight. When they finally meet, they have more in common than Pip expected, and form a friendship that helps them both to move into a happier future.

Another beautifully told, heart-tugger of a story from Imogen Clarke.

Two women, two generations apart, linked by tragedy: human rights barrister Pip and actress Evelyn. Both returned under a cloud to their small-town roots from the success and bright lights of London. Both, burdened by guilt, stuck in a void, unable to face the future.

Their separate stories are told in two timelines — Pip’s in the present and Evelyn’s in the late 1970s (and through her diaries) — and are equally compelling. But it’s when their two paths meet and merge into one that the real depth of the narrative emerges, as the two women face their demons and find in each other kindred, damaged spirits who can heal together.

Ultimately, this is, I feel, a story about friendship. About how it can crop up in the unlikeliest of places and between the unlikeliest of people. And Clarke explores this notion with a warmth and insight that is a delight to read.

But there are other layers, too. Other themes that are equally as thought provoking: the idea of “home”, where it is, what it is. Is it a physical place, or a feeling? A place to escape from, or a place to run to?

And the “Me too” movement: how perceptions of socially acceptable behavior can change dramatically in the space of one or two generations. As a contemporary of Evelyn, there was so much of this that I could relate to, and I applaud Clarke for understanding this and handling it so sensitivity.

I love a reading journey that winds up in a place where you can close the book with a contented sigh. But one, too, that stays with you a while, hovering on the edge of your subconscious, nudging you to ponder and reflect. And this was just the ticket.

Two women fighting for breaking their ties s with their hometown and wanting to succeed in London. But tragedy bring them back to town and they feel trapped. Can they help each other break free from their fears and struggle and have a second chance in life? A really wonderful story.

Title: Reluctantly Home
Author: Imogen Clark
Publisher: Amazon Publishing UK
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:
"Reluctantly Home" by Imagen Clark

My Opinion:

"Reluctantly Home" was a well-written story of how two women suffered from awful events that greatly affected their lives. 'Reluctantly' will capture one's attention from the beginning to the end.

I enjoyed how this author puts these two women [generations apart] together by losing a diary that brought them together and how each of their stories helps them in so many ways through a developed friendship. For each of them...Pip and Evelyn there was 'loss, anxiety, trauma, acceptance, and finally moving on with their lives.' One can see how when life offers you lemons. One can still move on. It was a beautiful read of how each of these individuals was able to help one another, forgive their past, and maybe even find happiness in the future that had dealt with issues of a child's death and mental illness.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received a pre-publication copy of 'Reluctantly Home' , which I very much enjoyed reading. The plot is quite “twisty-turny” as it follows two lives. I don’t want to give anything else away, suffice to say it is a real page turner. I would highly recommend this book.

Pip Appleby's career is a success. She's working her way up.to the top. But one day, absolutely unexpectedly, tragedy strikes and all of a sudden, her world collapses. She returns home, a home she'd been eager to leave when she was young. A home she was ashamed to show. A life she 'd been ready to forget.
Evelyn Mountcastle''s dream was to be an actress. She moved to London and was casted for a role that was the ticket to play in the big leagues. But her dream remained just like that... Like a dream. Reality presented itself a bit different as planned, and she found herself coming back home, even when it was the last thing she thought she would do in her life.
Both women, although going through different situations, found themselves walking along similar paths. Will they find the way to find peace at last? Will they be able to leave tragedy in the past and move toward the future?
There's an item that can open the door. And it's in their hands.
This is a beautiful story. Full of humanity and randomness. And the author made a great job combining both of them. The characters are so much adorable, even in their weaknesses. And the pace, going back and forth works like a charm. Never confusing, always enlightening.
It's not my first book from Imogen Clark and it will not be the last.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Imogen Clark has done it again! Reluctantly Home weaves together the stories of two women from the same small English village showing us their similarities and differences and how they form a bond based on the experiences that brought huge upheaval to the lives they had carefully forged for themselves. Both had escaped to London to find something bigger and better, and both returned due to unexpected circumstances. Ms. Clark gives us a beautiful story populated by real people who draw you in from the first page. While the ending was quite satisfying, I genuinely wanted more. If I never know what happens next, I will choose to believe they found their happily ever after and that Evelyn and Pip meet once a month in the window of a quintessentially English café to share a coffee and their latest adventures. Ms. Clark is a master at writing relatable, real characters who draw the reader in, while her plots are beautifully constructed. I have read all of her books and am eagerly looking forward to where she will take me next!

Evelyn and Pip, returned home to a small town in Suffolk due to unexpected circumstances, generations apart. Evelyn returned home in the 1980s, Pip more recently. The book starts using a dual timeline and then the present day. It is ultimately a feel good story which considering the back stories reflects how well it is written. Evelyn and Pip, although not entirely likeable, developed before my eyes and their relationship was ultimately positive for them both. There are some themes that are addressed that some readers may find upsetting. Abortion, child deaths etc.

It was a well written book and worth a read.

My thanks to NetGalley for a free early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have posted in my own book group (instagram and fb), 2 book groups local to me and 2 book groups nationally. I have posted on good reads too.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were a joy to read about and the story flowed beautifully. A mix of narrative and diary entries broke the story up. Really enjoyable and I’d definitely recommend!

A diary that is mistakenly donated to a charity shop helps bring two people together, both of whom are weighed down by the guilt of tragic events.. They become friends and are able to help each other emerge from their self-imposed prisons. I really enjoyed this dual-timeline story and plan to read more books from this new-to-me author. Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and review and advance copy.

Reluctantly Home is both a heartbreaking and heartwarming story.

The story is told from Pip's viewpoint as she returns to her childhood home after a devastating accident that has left her unable to function to her full capabilities.

Evelyn's story is told from the past and present. She too returned home years ago.

A chance discovery of Evelyn's diary will bring these two ladies into each other's world.

Both are stronger than they think.

I loved how the friendship developed and how they brought out each other's strenght.

I love the cover, you can just picture Pip on her bike riding into town.

Well worth the read , don't miss Reluctantly Home , you will be glad you picked it up.

Thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing for a satisfying read.

I took a little time to get into this book, although I think it was partly due to having read several crime thrillers in a row previously.
However, when I switched my brain over, I really thoroughly enjoyed it!

Pip is really struggling with what's happened in her life, and I'll be honest, I didn't like the way she was treating her mother (in particular) with such disdain. But they say time heals all - or at least makes life bearable.

The book is beautifully written, and brought tears to my eyes at one point - which is always my sign of a good book.

Completely recommend this.

A well written story showing how hard things can be that happen unexpectedly. Things out of your control can derail your life and this book demonstrates that well whilst being a great read.

I received a copy of this book as an ARC from NetGalley in return for a fair and honest review.

Synopsis:

After a terrible accident and series of public panic attacks, Pip returns to her home town in hopes of healing. While volunteering at a thrift store, she finds a diary from 1983. Instead of returning it to it’s rightful owner right away, she reads it. Feeling a connection with the author, she becomes determined to get to know her.

Imogen Clark’s Reluctantly Home was an emotional roller coaster that pulls you in from the first moment and doesn’t let go.

I highly recommend this book and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author!

I really wanted to love this book, based on the synopsis. But I found the storyline almost non-existent and the main character (Pip Appleby) flat out annoying.

I can't really make up my mind about this book mainly in the fact it seems 'out' in the eras it was set. The book covers the story of Evelyn between 1979 and 1983 plus that of Pip and Evelyn in the present day but the depiction at each time point, in attitudes especially, seems to be at least two, decades earlier. I am a contemporary of Evelyn which is why several aspects don't quite ring true, but that aside, it was a different read and certainly tackled several contemporary mental issues including the 'Me Too' campaign. A little slow to start with and a rather over rushed ending but worth a read. Probably a 3.5.

A great story set in a small town that Pip has been trying to escape from. After her high-powered world comes crashing down, she flees London, back to her parents home. Working in a charity shop she comes across a diary and the story inside almost mirrors hers.
I loved the interaction between the two women and how each of their stories tie together and come to a resolution. The story is told in present time; flashbacks and diary entries, but they all work together to give you the complete story - at no point are you left wondering what is going on.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read this book.

This book started out good however; it fell through with the ending. The ending felt rushed and not complete.

Pip Appleby seems to have it all, with her prestigious job as a human rights lawyer and her enviable London home. But then a tragic accident stops her life in its tracks, and in an instant everything changes. Retreating to her family’s rural farm and the humble origins she has been trying to hide, Pip is haunted by what she has done. When she discovers the diary of actress Evelyn Mountcastle in a box of old books, Pip revels in the opportunity to lose herself in someone else’s life rather than focus on the disaster that is her own. But soon she sees parallels—Evelyn’s life was also beset by tragedy, and, like Pip, she returned to Southwold under a dark cloud.

This was a delightful read and one I wholeheartedly recommend. This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5 stars for me.

To loosely quote Thomas Wolfe, you can’t go home again....but what happens when you actually do?

After a tragic event, Pip’s life in London falls apart and she returns home in 2019 to her family farm to recover. As the book opens, it has been six months since the accident and she’s settled, although not happily, back into life with her parents (and hunky farmhand, Jez), trying to keep busy by volunteering in a thrift shop.
The story changes one day when Pip is unpacking a box of donated books and finds a diary from 1983. Pip’s story then begins to alternate with the story of Evelyn Mountcastle, an actress who was left her small hometown in search of her big break. Like Pip, she was also living an independent life in London and reluctantly returned home in 1979.
There were some gaps for me: why didn’t Pip have a cell phone? The first reference to one was about half way through the book and it’s Evelyn who has one. Both Evelyn and Pip also seem determined to work through their mental health issues without professional help, relying on time and relationships. Other than Dominic, didn’t Pip have any personal relationships in London?
Evelyn’s story was interesting as was Pip’s, although I would have liked to learn more about her life in London before the accident. The relationship between the two women was heart warming and made for a nice story overall.
Thanks to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read Reluctantly Home in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book. There were two very interesting main characters, across different generations, both subject to tragedy. Pip, a young woman, returns home from London after a tragic accident and hides herself away. Evelyn, at 70, has hidden away after her own tragedy.
When their paths cross, they manage to help each other.

The novel was well written and engaging and I wanted both main characters to be happy by the end of it!!

The story of two women who have had their successful lives taken from them and have to return home to live with their families. Can they get over their past and start a new and happy future against the odds.
Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for ah honest review.

Pip had never felt completely at home, at her home with her parents. They never quite understood her, her work or her education. After a tragic accident Pip is now back to recuperate after a breakdown of sorts. She has left behind her high powered job and her high powered boyfriend. Her life now is as different as it could be. She volunteers at a thrift shop and just manages to get through one day at a time.

When a diary surfaces in a box of books, Pip is very intrigued by the contents as it seems to mark a particularly momentous year in the life of a Evelyn Mountcastle. Then her boyfriend Dominic breaks up with her and Pip buries herself in the life of one year of Evelyn. Tracking her down, befriending her and getting to know Evelyn marks a turning point in both Pips and Evelyn's life. Both are rejuvenated and are able to take an interest in life as it is now, as against what it was.

A good story of how one can overcome personal tragedy, and though here both stories were bleak and very sad, the joining of two kindred spirits helped them both.

Pip Appleby has it all. High powered job as a barrister, smart lifestyle, hip boyfriend until an accident turns her life upside down and she flees London back to her parents at Southwold in Suffolk.
Passing time helping in a charity shop, she comes across a diary in a box of books and becomes fascinated by the writer, Evelyn's, story. So she sets out to find her and return the diary. An unlikely friendship is formed as the two women support each other.
I loved the dynamic between Evelyn and Pip and sympathised with their problems and how they helped each other. I rated it 4 stars because I felt that more could have been made of Southwold, one of my favourite places. I felt that it could have been any seaside town.
Recommended.

A sweet story about two women who's lives take separate but tragic turns, how they cope and how they help each other to mend.

What would you do if everything you planned for your life blew up in a days time - totally outside your control?

A compelling read Pip lived an idyllic life with her handsome boyfriend Damien in London - high flying job trendy lifestyle until one day a tragic accident changes things forever . Escaping back to her parents farm Pip struggles to come to terms with what has happened after a time of being a recluse had mum suggests helping out at the local charity shop and upon discovering a diary Pips life takes a turn . Addicted to the words of Evelyn who Pip finds also had tragic events on her life. Pip tracks the owner of the diary and an unlikely alliance is formed the two helping each other combat their demons . I really enjoyed this book touching on some very current topics it keeps you gripped until the end .

What happens when tradegy strikes and you get trapped in your emotions and fears? Who can help you find you again? This book eloquently answers these questions.

This story kept my attention and I genuinely cared for these characters. I was so happy to see their growth and transformation throughout the book.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever had struggles to overcome.

I found this a little difficult to get into at first. Rose is not the most endearing of characters and the guilt she feels after accidentally killing a young boy mixed with the disappointment of being back home in Suffolk, far from her glamorous London life doesn't help this. However, reading Evelyn Mountcastle's diary starts to change her and she becomes more Pip, the name she grew up with. When the two women meet, the mutual interest develops into a friendship that helps them both to move on with their lives. By the time the book ended, I was so engrossed in their stories that o didn't want it to stop. I have so many questions about what happens next to Pip, Evelyn and Jez! A lovely, easy, heartwarming read.

Reluctantly Home is a wonderful story about rebuilding a life from the ashes and the surprisingly positive turns that life can take.

We learn the story of two women - Pip and Evelyn - both haunted by a tragedy and both merely existing. When Pip stumbles across an old diary, she feels inexorably compelled to trace the owner and together they find a way to forgive themselves and start living again.

Brilliantly written and so heart-warming, I adored every word.

An interesting book which initially I struggled to get into but it was definitely worth persevering with and by the end I was wishing it to go on.
A story about two women both of whom had been through traumatic events and both struggling to come to terms by going and hiding away, but together they find a solution which is really encouraging.
It is well written and flows well.

A little difficult to initially get into but well worth persevering with as as the story unfolds you learn more about pip and that in life things iate always worth fighting for as you never know when things may change.
Definitely a warm ending with lots of scope for a sequel

Following a tragic accident Pip returns home to her parents to recover. When she finds a diary belonging to an actress she feels compelled to read it. Has fate played a hand in this as the diary owner is clearly suffering like Pip. She tracks down Evelyn and the most unlikely friendship materialises. Can they help each other recover? A thoroughly enjoyable read making you see that life can get better if you let it.

The story has a good premise. There are two timelines. In 2019 Pip runs a child over with her car and is haunted by it, feeling guilt even though she wasn't at fault. She is a human rights lawyer in London and develops panic attacks which prompts her to take of leave of absence. She goes home to Southwold. The second timeline is 1979. Evelyn Mountcastle is an actress in London and just got the big break she had been working towards for 10 years but when gets pregnant. She returns to Southwold to live with her sister with the hopes of raising her child and going back to work when she reaches school age.

I didn't really care for either Pip or Evelyn although I did grow to like them more towards the end. Pip was embarrassed by her parents and life on the farm but when she went back she walked around like a sulky teenager and not appreciating what they were doing for her. With the severe panic attacks she was having I didn't understand why she wasn't seeing a therapist. It was 2019, it seemed a logical conclusion rather than hoping that with time they would go away.

When Evelyn got pregnant single mothers weren't entirely accepted especially in a small town like Southwold. Evelyn went back with no job or money coming in and expecting her sister to support her until she went back to work. Knowing that her sister, Joan, had a mean streak and very judgmental why did Evelyn think Joan would be fine with supporting her?

Pip was volunteering at a charity shop and in a box of paperbacks donated she finds a diary and Pip discovers that Evelyn is the writer. I thought the way they found each other was interesting. I wouldn't mind living in a small town like Southwold. People cared about each other. Pip and Jez was just filler and for me added nothing to the overall story although I did like Jez.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read this book.

A young woman returns to the countryside after a terrible accident. As she tries to find a way forward in life, she meets a senior citizen who can relate to her situation. The friendship the two form gives them each courage to move on from their respective tragedies. Author Imogen Clark brings sweetness and heart to this quiet story in her latest novel Reluctantly Home.

Philippa “Pip” Appleby thought she had everything she needed for a high-flying life in London: the drop-dead gorgeous boyfriend, a flat in one of the most desired postal codes in the city, and a career as an up-and-coming lawyer. In an instant, though, all of that changes when she’s in a car accident that leaves a child dead. Gripped by panic attacks and unable to function in court anymore, Pip retreats to her childhood home in the country town of Southwold.

For six months, Pip finds herself restless yet also scared. She can’t drive anymore, that’s for sure, but riding her bike everywhere is just a constant reminder of the accident. Her parents love her dearly and are concerned for her, but they’re not quite sure how to help.

It was a huge change when Pip first went to the city with her dreams that were bigger than the family farm and her insistence that everyone start calling her by her middle name, Rose. Now she’s home and everything’s changed again. Her parents refuse to call her Rose; for them she’ll always and forever be Pip. And that, along with life in a small town, is driving Pip a little batty.

To keep herself occupied, she gets a part-time job in a local charity store where people drop off their used items for sale. As Pip sorts through a box one day, she comes across a diary from the year 1983. Desperate for an escape, Pip dives into the circumstances of one Evelyn Mountcastle. It seems like Evelyn was an actress at one point and then the mother to a young child, but then she experiences two major life changes. The story is left incomplete, though, by the end of the diary.

Driven to find out what happened to Evelyn, Pip goes looking for her and finds her still in Southwold. As the two form a tentative relationship that develops into a bond, Pip discovers that tragedy can strike anyone at any time. What matters most, though, is what the person does next.

Author Imogen Clark finds moments of gentleness and humor in this lovely tale about an older woman and a younger one meeting and forming a wonderful friendship. Pip’s constant guilt about her accident rings true. Her panic and her despair feel authentic, and readers will find themselves sympathizing with Pip in many places in the book.
Evelyn, too, is equally likeable. In a fresh twist, Evelyn takes responsibility for the events leading up to her own personal challenges. While the book touches on modern themes, Clark stays true to the attitudes of the book’s timeline. The result is a story that shares the truth of women like Evelyn without sounding preachy or apologetic.

If the novel can be faulted anywhere, it’s in the rushed opening and closing. Readers don’t get much of a chance to settle in with Pip before the accident that sends her home to Southwold. Likewise, toward the end, once her friendship with Evelyn is established, the plot moves quickly to resolve everything with nice, neat bows. Because the rest of the book is so enjoyable, however, readers will probably be willing to overlook the somewhat hurried pacing.

In the end, the book reminds its target audience that there’s nothing wrong with going home again. Fans of women’s fiction and books about friendships will like this one. I recommend readers Bookmark Reluctantly Home.

When Pip Appleby returns home to Southwold after a tragic accident in London, she struggles to adjust. She finds the diary of actress Evelyn Hardcastle, who herself had to return home to Southwold, & realises they have something in common.

I loved everything about this book. The characters of Pip & Evelyn were wonderfully written (so much so that I'm hoping for a sequel to see how they are getting on). I loved the dual timeline of 2019 and 1979 & how two characters came together when they needed each other most.

My favourite Imogen Clark novel so far (and they have all been fabulous).

Pip and Evelyn both experienced life changing events regarding a child and as a result withdrew themselves from society because they no longer knew how to move forward. They had been someone whether it be a barrister or an actress but did they truly find happiness in the most simplistic of actions? I would disagree no. In finding each other, they found the reason to live again. They no longer had to hide behind the pretenses of whom they thought they should be.

Reluctantly Home tells two stories in parallel: the present day reality for Pip and the past tale of Evelyn. Their narratives become interwoven as the two characters meet when Pip is forced to return home to Southwold from London following a tragedy.

The premise of this book was intriguing and usually I love the cleverness of an interwoven story, but Reluctantly Home fell flat for me. Whilst I held on until the end to see whether my predictions were correct, I already knew they would be by the nature of the book.

Perhaps it's best described as a "holiday read" in that it's easy to pick up and follow. But I think I wanted more intrigue, more twists and turns, and more character development. The first chapter packed a punch but the rest was a disappointing, predictable tale.

Reluctantly Home by Imogen Clarke is the story of two women who have had their lives changed by tragedy. Pip, when she accidentally knocks over a child who dies and her guilt overwhelms her and causes a move back home and a break from her career. She meets up with Evelyn who is a recluse, after the death of her child. I found this an interesting read and the two main characters were intriguing and it was good to see how they changed and forgave themselves, after meeting.
Highly recommended

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

Reluctantly Home really got to my heart. Pip feeling responsible for a boys death. Evelyn losing her child. I loved the relationship they formed and kind of wish more of the book was dedicated to it. Beautiful characters.

Pip Appleby seems to have it all until a tragic accident stops her life in its tracks. She retreats to her family’s rural farm where she's haunted by the past she tried to escape. While volunteering at the local thrift shop, she discovers the diary of actress Evelyn Mountcastle. Both women seem to have much in common. But when their paths cross, will they be able to connect and move forward despite their past?
I enjoyed the writing and flow of this book. It's easy to read and kept my attention. The author also reveals the backstory in a way that's easy to understand. In places, I thought the story was a bit cliche. But overall, I liked both Pip and Evelyn and the ending for both of these strong women.

Imogen Clark is a perceptive, versatile novelist whose earlier novels I have enjoyed, so I was delighted to receive a free ARC of this, her latest output. There are two main female characters at the heart of this novel: Pip, a human rights lawyer in London with an enviable lifestyle, and Evelyn Mountcastle, an actress whose journals Pip discovers by chance. Both women suffer tragedy that forces them to return to their earlier homes in Suffolk, and in an interesting twist on the usual plot of one character simply exploring the diary of a another, Pip and Evelyn actually get to meet. Other reviews of this novel have commented on its pessimistic notes, but I would argue that the novel is simply a brilliant exploration of how two very different women deal with trauma and emotional pain. Warmly recommended!

Pip is a London barrister, living with her boyfriend, until a traumatic event leads to her returning home to Southwold. When Pip finds a diary in a charity shop, she desperately wants to find the owner of the diary, as she and Evelyn have much in common. Experiencing grief and unable to move on, these two women help each other rediscover how to live. I really enjoyed it and recommend to lovers of women’s fiction, books that discuss serious topics but provide hope. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Well written, had me interested from the beginning. Loved the characters.
4 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the Author and publisher for a copy of this book.
The Opinions expressed are my own

Pip Appleby has a great life. Living in London, working as a Barrister and living with her successful boyfriend. Until the day she has an accident and ends up killing a child. Having a hard time coping, she returns home to take a break and try to get herself back on track. She volunteers at a local thrift shop, where she comes across a diary that is left as a donation. She takes the diary home and realizes it was written by Evelyn Mountcastle, a local woman, once an actress, that is now shrouded in mystery.

Pip reads the diary and soon becomes convinced that she has to meet Evelyn and find out all the answers to the questions that have arisen from the diary.

This book tells Evelyn's story in the past and Pip's in the future, and then seamlessly blends them together. This is a very sweet and touching story and i very well written. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book

Such a moving story. Relatable characters and realistic storylines. A unputdownable read filled with heart ache and feel good

This was a tricky book to put down!

I thought that it was a beautiful read!

The two characters were interesting, authentic and relatable.

A very cleverly written and constructed story, the way that the two main female characters loves are entwined.

I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a lovely book I didn't want it to end. Heartwarming, wonderfully written, bittersweet in parts. A recommended read.

Imogen Clark is one of my favorite authors. Her books are always thought provoking and enjoyable. This story goes back and forth between two people and years that affected them greatly. The two characters do end up meeting and forging a lovely relationship which was nice to read about.

I would like to extend my gratitude to the author, publisher and NetGalley for sending me this advanced reader’s copy in return for a fair, frank, and honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a beautiful story between the 2 main characters. I have never read any of Imogen’s books before, so this was a lovely one to start with. It was such a captivating book that I wanted to finish but did not want to finish at the same time. Read in one day.

I loved this kind-hearted and thoughtful novel. The characters were rich and well-observed, the writing was beautiful and the story moving.

Reluctantly Home by Imogen Clark is about two women. Pip Appleby, a human rights lawyer, returns to her family’s farm in Southwold, UK after a tragic incident occurs. It becomes clear that the recurring panic attacks would drive her from her life in London. Evelyn Montcastle, a struggling actress, finds her professional life put on hold due to unavoidable circumstances and moves in with her sister in the family home in Southwold. A diary will bring the two women together, as they realize that they share parallel events in their lives and both have suffered tragedies that seem insurmontable. The characters in Reluctantly Home are flawed, yet sympathetic and interesting. Imogen Clark has written a novel about two troubled women whose paths cross, giving both a different perspective on their lives. This is a slow and moving drama that I found to be enthralling. Sometimes a quiet story well-told is all that is needed to capture a reader’s attention. This is one of those. Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really heart warming read. The parallels between the two main characters lives were cleverly drawn and the author writes about sensitive topics such a loss, the death of a child, grief, isolation abs starting again with great skill. Highly recommended.

Reluctantly Home is the fourth stand-alone novel by British author, Imogen Clark. In 1979, aspiring actress Evelyn Mountcastle lands a plum role in a new police TV drama series, and discovers she is pregnant. The architect of these mutually exclusive life-changing events is the same. Faced with a dilemma, Evie makes a choice that feels like a retrograde step, leaves her career in London and returns to Southwold and the house in which she grew up, the place she'd been so determined to escape ten years earlier.

In 2019, the aftermath of a fatal accident sees Pip Appleby, a leading human rights barrister at one of the best chambers in London, retreating to her childhood bedroom on her parents' Southwold farm, the place she'd worked so hard to escape ten years ago. Her resolved intention to return to her London life cannot be realised while she suffers nightmares and flashbacks and is ambushed by panic attacks.

“She had always defined herself by what she did rather than by who she was, by what she wore on the outside instead of what was happening on the inside. Status had shaped each part of her, moulding her into what she had become. So where did that leave her now it was all gone?”

While trying to heal, Pip volunteers at the Have A Heart charity shop. The diary she unpacks one day from a box of donations shouldn’t go in her bag, but she is instantly fascinated by the story told within, a tale of a sweet three-year-old daughter, a loving mother and a cruel aunt. By the time Pip has read all of Evie Mountcastle’s account of 1983, she can see some contrasts, but so many parallels, with her own life that she wants to meet this tragic figure. She has so many questions!

The woman she finds is reclusive and less-than-friendly. But Pip is determined, and Evie is intrigued. Can these two broken souls help to repair each other?

While some parts of Clark’s plot may be predictable, it is the characters and their interactions that are the strength of this novel: two women struck from their promising lives and laid low; a couple of real cads, one of whom contributes to the “me too” phenomenon via the casting couch; but also some examples on manhood at its best, true knights. The story touches on PTSD and hoarding, but also highlights the difference between accepting your lot and appreciating what you have. A thought-provoking and uplifting read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing.

A well written story about returning to life after tragedy. Two ladies from two different generations, who have both faced heartache they feel they can’t get beyond, come together and help each other move on.

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than my usual style, but was refreshingly deep in a good, sit in my soul way.
We have two women whose lives have been upended and they need to return to their family. The odds are against them finding peace and happiness, and we follow their journeys as they go through the ups and downs. Loved the "parallel" timelines and plot and the characters became dear to me. Very solid read - not "light reading" but very good.

When Pip is involved in a tragic accident, she leaves London and returns to the family farm. Volunteering in a thrift shop, she comes across a diary belonging to Evelyn who had suffered tragedy herself. When she returns the diary, Pip and Evelyn end up becoming firm friends despite the age gap and help each other deal with their losses and face life again. After a slow start, this one really had my attention captured and I would love to read a sequel as I was left with many unanswered questions.

A young barrister in a rush fails to see a boy rushing across the road, running out not giving her enough time to stop. The law says she is free from responsibility but her heart and mind say different. She goes home and takes a job in a charity shop. She finds the diary of a once famous actress, she reads the diary and returns it to its owner who herself is captive by horrible events hinted to in the diary. So begins the restoration of both these women as each reveals the moments that changed them forever. Happy reading

I don’t know why but the cover and title of this book makes it feel like a self-help book to me. I guess, at it’s core, that’s exactly what it is; the tale of two women finding similar truths and healing through the sharing of their experiences.

The start of the book is a little clunky and you do have to keep going with it at first. It’s so beautiful written though and the characters well-rounded, that you end up not minding the initial issues. Well-rounded they may be, but Pip aka Rose and Evelyn are characters you’re not supposed to like. You are encouraged to feel sympathy for them, to try and understand them, but they aren’t likeable.

“Yes, Evelyn though to herself, this had the makings of quite an interesting relationship.”

As there are interesting parallels in the two women’s lives, they may also be parallels to your own. They’ve both encountered and suffered tragedy, they feel grief and they’re disconnected from life living in a state of limbo. This book will have you questioning what you would do in their situation, which route your life is taking now and how you should never judge a book by its cover (see my initial thoughts about this book!).

I must admit that I was sad when I turned the last page of this one, but Clark cleverly bought the story to it’s natural end. It would be nice to have a sequel and to find out more about how the two women moved on from their circumstances. Personally, though I feel there is a beauty to leaving the characters to live out their own lives once their story has been told.

This book was not what I expected but turned out to be something that I enjoyed. Pip (Rose) and Evelyn were able to help each other through their tragedies in a way that others couldn't. This was not just a light easy read, it explored some heavy subjects.

I received an ARC from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love Clark's book. She is one of my preferred authors and she doesn't disappoint in any of her stories! Each book is unique and different. It is a great book to keep you engaged during a rainy day.

The cast of characters that she wove together was very interesting and entertaining. It is based in a small town in New England and because she is so descriptive, I could picture exactly where they were. Pip is a great character and I wanted to be friends with her! Very inspiring book that made me smile as I read the last page.

Difficult issues are brought to light in this story and it was well written. Two characters find what they need by finding each other. It was an enjoyable read.
Many thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a heart-warming story. A story about choices, mistakes and ways to keep on going.
I enjoyed it a lot and felt for both Pip and Evelyn.

I enjoyed this easy read. It wasn't too taxing and I read it quite quickly. The blurb read very well too. It was topical dealing effectively with incidents relating to the Me Too movement and how in the past certain behaviour was expected in film and production circles if career advancement was desired. I liked Pip I have to say and felt sorry for her at times. Her anxiety and panic attacks are understandable when their cause is revealed. This is a quick read, a little repetitive at times maybe, but enjoyable none the less.

Beautiful story. I loved how Pip and Evelyn’s stories and lives intertwined and how through finding each other both found peace with their pasts and hope for their future.

Reluctantly Home by Imogen Clark

This a story about dealing with the past—-and finally facing the future. When Pip and Evelyn’s paths cross in real life, they slowly begin it reveal the hidden stories that are holding them back.

Once Pip and Evelyn connect, they help each other to get past their tragedies. Plot was well-planned. Has good,, strong characters.

Thanks to Net Galley for sending me an advanced reader’s copy for review.

Took me a while to get into this book but I was interested to see the story unfold as we learnt more about the two main characters Pip and Evelyn. They’ve both been through traumatic events in their lives and have to learn with them and through them.
Their lives have both been dramatically changed and as their relationship develops they can see beyond the accidents and allow themselves to live again.

Oh my goodness this book was sad but had happy moments in it.

Pip ends up back at her parents farm after an accident and she has a meltdown, she volunteers in a charity shop and discovers a diary which she reads and wants to return it to its owner.

Evelyn is the author of the diary and she lost her daughter over 30 years ago and has become a recluse. Pip and Evelyn become friends and help each other over the grief of their own tragedies.

It was a very enjoyable book which had sadness and there was happy bits as well.

Clark has written a novel that examines the ability for someone to cope with guilt and tragedy, and then move forward. Pip, our main character, is distraught after a fatal accident, and is unable to get her life back on track. She takes a leave of absence from her high powered attorney position to move home with her parents and recover. And recover she does, though slowly and at times, without even realizing it.

Pip meets another woman, Evelyn, harboring a secret and her own tragedy. The two meet and ultimately become friends despite many differences including age and background. Each helps the other move forward to start living again.

The pace of the book is appropriate, not too slow or fast, with solid writing. I would be curious too, to see what happens to these two women in a few years, if the author were to write a sequel or follow up book with other characters, mentioning these two as side characters to a new story.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley and have written an objective review.

I liked this book a lot and recommended it on my Facebook page to my friends, a lot of whom always ask me what I am reading and then they read it, so I guess they like what I like. I liked the main character, Pip, and how she evolved throughout the book.. A good read!

Imogen creates characters you care about. You keep picking up the book to see what they are doing, and HOW they are doing. They are real and flawed and relatable.
In Reluctantly Home, we follow 2 main characters at 2 different points in recent history, as their troubled lives are laid out. We watch them learn how to live by seeing themselves in the stories of others. Something to which we can all relate.
Always emotional, and always enjoyable, Imogen once again crafts a beautiful depiction of an imperfect life.

Thanks to Amazon UK and NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review. what a story! Two people meet and find a way to help each other. Enjoyed the story to the very end

TW child death, mental health. This was a really complex and deep book. It was well written, but the topics were too much for me.

In Reluctantly Home, Imogen Clark creates a book that pulls at the reader's heartstrings. Two women are bound together by a diary and a sting of tragedies. The question is if they can find their way through those losses, perhaps through an unlikely connection?

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with this book. All thoughts are my own.

I loved this book. I loved the characters,. It was extremely well written book that discusses alot of hard topics. It was slow to start off with but really picked up. Highly recommend.

Reluctantly Home is another beautifully written novel from Imogen Clark that tells the stories of two women in different time periods. Pip is a successful lawyer in London but moves back home to Sussex following a terrible accident. Evelyn is an actress in London in the 1970’s but also moves back home after her life changes direction. When these two women find each other, they realise their stories share similarities and offer support to move on with their lives.

Imogen Clark writes believable books that are sensitively written and contain characters the reader cares about and can relate to. Highly recommended.

I loved this book.
Such a neat premise - a charity shop find bringing two women of different generations together, both of whom have had to return home reluctantly.
The writing is wonderful and it manages to touch on some difficult issues - MeToo, hoarding, PTSD - without being too heavy.
It's made me want to read more books by this author - this was my first.

Imogen Clark really kept me guessing through the pages. With each portion, an added bit to expand on letting two wounded souls find themselves and discover a brighter path to follow. I really enjoyed how Reluctantly Home wove together the new tomorrow. Thank you Netgalley for this path.

I went to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Love the cover. A great light hearted read. Recommend

Imogen Clark has written a good women’s fiction book that will have you invested in the story and the lives of Pip and Evelyn. The characters are well developed. Walking through the challenges these two women face is an emotional journey. The way they connect was interesting and I loved seeing the friendship develop and grow.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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