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Coming Home
A heartwarming novel by the much-loved Rosamunde Pilcher.Born in Colombo, Judith Dunbar spends her teenage years at boarding school, while her beloved mother and younger sister live abroad with her father.When her new friend Loveday Carey-Lewis invites Judith home for the weekend to Nancherrow, the Carey-Lewises' beautiful estate on the Cornish coast, it is love at first sight.She falls in love too with the generous Carey-Lewises themselves. With their generosity and kindness, Judith grows from naive girl to confident young woman, basking in the warm affection of a surrogate family whose flame burns brightly. But it is a flame soon to be extinguished in the gathering storm of war. And Judith herself has far to travel before at last . . . coming home.
1028 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 1995
About the author
Rosamunde Pilcher
178 books3,259 followersRosamunde Scott was born on 22 September 1924 in Lelant, Cornwall, England, UK, daughter of Helen and Charles Scott, a British commander. Just before her birth her father was posted in Burma, her mother remained in England. She attended St. Clare's Polwithen and Howell's School Llandaff before going on to Miss Kerr-Sanders' Secretarial College. She began writing when she was seven and published her first short story when she was 18. From 1943 through 1946, Pilcher served with the Women's Naval Service. On 7 December 1946, she married Graham Hope Pilcher, a war hero and jute industry executive who died in March 2009. They moved to Dundee, Scotland, where she remained until her death in 2019. They had two daughters and two sons, and fourteen grandchildren. Her son, Robin Pilcher, is also a novelist.
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novel Coming Home won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication of Winter Solstice. Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
In 1949, her first book, a romance novel, was published by Mills & Boon, under the pseudonym Jane Fraser. She published a further ten novels under that name. In 1955, she also began writing under her married name Rosamunde Pilcher, by 1965 she her own name to all of her novels. In 1996, her novel Coming Home won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by Romantic Novelists' Association. She retired from writing in 2000 following publication of Winter Solstice. Two years later, she was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,849 reviews
August 11, 2016
Did you ever read a 826 page novel and when you closed the back board onto the last page wish that there were another 826 pages to go? That is how I felt coming to the end of Coming Home. The title of this novel seems infinitely appropriate for me, because reading Pilcher again feels exactly like that--Coming Home. She makes her settings and her people so real and warm that you want to belong there and to remain listening to the sea and watching the waves crash on a Cornwall beach.
It is 1935 and we are introduced to Judith Dunbar, a fourteen year old about to embark on life at boarding school while her parents and little sister, Jess, are living a world away in Singapore. Her father works for a British company abroad, and the practice of sending older children to school and leaving them in the care of relatives is not unusual. Judith has her father’s sister, Aunt Louise, with whom she is to spend holidays, and makes friends with Loveday Carey-Lewis, who is to have a huge impact on her life and fortunes.
Pilcher writes a very linear novel in Coming Home, taking Judith from 1935 England, when there are only whispers of war, and through the war years into 1945. We watch her grow, experience her loves and her losses and in a style that few other authors can match, we see, feel and touch the world she lives in. We hope with her and grieve with her, and I am unashamed to say I shed a few tears with her.
There are a host of characters in Coming Home, but they are like your family--you do not forget who they are or where they fit into the fabric of Judith’s life. One of the major characters is Cornwall itself. The sea, the towns, the colors and the skies that make it special and different from other places in England or the rest of the world.
There is not a single character, from Judith herself to Mr. Nettlebed (the crusty butler who is transformed into a gardener by the war effort), who isn’t as real as the couple who live across the street from you. Her romances are believable and gripping, her twists and turns ring so true to the era and the realities of the times and the war. She can give you a happy ending without leaving you with a saccharin aftertaste. She satisfies your emotional needs without stretching credibility. Few can do this with any success, but Pilcher does it seamlessly.
I first read this novel back in the mid 1990s. I was younger then. I was afraid that with the sharpness of the years and the age of romance behind me it might feel dated or diminished. It doesn’t. As I stumbled into familiar passages, the story came back and captivated me again. I found I still cared about Judith, Loveday, Edward, Gus and Jeremy, Molly and Jess. The descriptions of the path leading to the cove and the charm of Nancherrow were still magnets for me. I could close my eyes and see the Laura Knight image Pilcher described and I knew who Loveday was and who she was to Gus.
I haven’t Cornwall to come home to, but going home to Rosamunde Pilcher is almost the same thing. A huge thank you to Lori for reading with me and making this an even better experience by doing so.
It is 1935 and we are introduced to Judith Dunbar, a fourteen year old about to embark on life at boarding school while her parents and little sister, Jess, are living a world away in Singapore. Her father works for a British company abroad, and the practice of sending older children to school and leaving them in the care of relatives is not unusual. Judith has her father’s sister, Aunt Louise, with whom she is to spend holidays, and makes friends with Loveday Carey-Lewis, who is to have a huge impact on her life and fortunes.
Pilcher writes a very linear novel in Coming Home, taking Judith from 1935 England, when there are only whispers of war, and through the war years into 1945. We watch her grow, experience her loves and her losses and in a style that few other authors can match, we see, feel and touch the world she lives in. We hope with her and grieve with her, and I am unashamed to say I shed a few tears with her.
There are a host of characters in Coming Home, but they are like your family--you do not forget who they are or where they fit into the fabric of Judith’s life. One of the major characters is Cornwall itself. The sea, the towns, the colors and the skies that make it special and different from other places in England or the rest of the world.
There is not a single character, from Judith herself to Mr. Nettlebed (the crusty butler who is transformed into a gardener by the war effort), who isn’t as real as the couple who live across the street from you. Her romances are believable and gripping, her twists and turns ring so true to the era and the realities of the times and the war. She can give you a happy ending without leaving you with a saccharin aftertaste. She satisfies your emotional needs without stretching credibility. Few can do this with any success, but Pilcher does it seamlessly.
I first read this novel back in the mid 1990s. I was younger then. I was afraid that with the sharpness of the years and the age of romance behind me it might feel dated or diminished. It doesn’t. As I stumbled into familiar passages, the story came back and captivated me again. I found I still cared about Judith, Loveday, Edward, Gus and Jeremy, Molly and Jess. The descriptions of the path leading to the cove and the charm of Nancherrow were still magnets for me. I could close my eyes and see the Laura Knight image Pilcher described and I knew who Loveday was and who she was to Gus.
I haven’t Cornwall to come home to, but going home to Rosamunde Pilcher is almost the same thing. A huge thank you to Lori for reading with me and making this an even better experience by doing so.
January 4, 2008
I really love Rosamunde Pilcher books. I hate how they look like sappy romance novels because somebody put dorky flowers and curlicues all over the cover, but rest assured, they're far from that genre. This is one of my particular favorites. It follows a girl (left in boarding school in England while her family goes to Singapore) before, during, and after WWII and goes back and forth between Cornwall, London, and various South Pacific locations. It's fairly epic in length--I think it clocks in around 1,000 pages, but it's totally fascinating. It's certainly not a candy-coated perception of war, and there's a fair amount of heartbreak and devastation throughout the course of the novel, but it is certainly a depiction of the triumph of the human spirit. Whatever that means.
In essence, this is a book I love to read (and re-read and re-read and then read again some more) when I'm wishing I lived in Cornwall on a big rocky beach swathed with light and color and sound. Oh, and I have a big house with bowls of flowers everywhere and I cook exciting things and my furniture is covered in faded chintz and I have lovely hunting dogs that like to be taken on walks over aforesaid beach, even though in real life I think dogs smell and slobber too much. Um...I'll stop now, but I really like the evocative writing in this book, at which Pilcher certainly excels. Just go read it already.
In essence, this is a book I love to read (and re-read and re-read and then read again some more) when I'm wishing I lived in Cornwall on a big rocky beach swathed with light and color and sound. Oh, and I have a big house with bowls of flowers everywhere and I cook exciting things and my furniture is covered in faded chintz and I have lovely hunting dogs that like to be taken on walks over aforesaid beach, even though in real life I think dogs smell and slobber too much. Um...I'll stop now, but I really like the evocative writing in this book, at which Pilcher certainly excels. Just go read it already.
July 1, 2017
"So, what did she want, above all else? Roots, perhaps. A home and a family and a place to go to that was forever. Belonging."
I loved taking this wonderful journey with Judith Dunbar from the impressionable age of fourteen in 1935 straight through the years of World War II. Judith learns so much about what it means to have a place in the world, a home to return to, loved ones to reunite with and hold close to the heart. I couldn’t help sympathizing with this young lady when first introduced to her. As her mother and young sister prepare to join her father in the distant port of Singapore, Judith is about to begin an adventure of her own as she stays behind to enroll in boarding school. She has not been totally abandoned, however, as she has been entrusted to the care of Aunt Louise. But the intimidating Aunt Louise is not quite the same as having one’s own mother around. Aunt Biddy, her mother’s sister, is more of a go-getter type and can be counted on in a pinch as well. And then Judith meets Loveday Carey-Lewis at St. Ursula’s, and is introduced to a life quite different from her own. An affluent but warm and welcoming family, the Carey-Lewis’s will offer their beautiful dwelling on the Cornish coast as another home-away-from-home for Judith. I’ve read several novels over the past couple of years that have painted such tantalizing images of Cornwall, so much so that I feel as if I have almost been there myself. I can almost relate to Gus Callender, as he makes his way to Cornwall and the Carey-Lewis home for the first time. This place is seriously on my bucket-list!
"And it was all piercingly familiar, as though he had seen it all before, and was simply returning, to a place long-known and deeply loved… The sheltering arm of the harbour pier, the coppice of tall-masted boats, the air alive with the scream of gulls. A small steam train, chuffing out of the station and along the curve of the shore. A terrace of Regency houses, windows blinking in the bright light, gardens rich with magnolia and camellia bushes. And over all, flowing in through the open window of the car, the fresh, cool, salty smell of tide-wrack and the open sea."
As the war looms over Europe and England, Judith becomes caught up in the fear, the preparations for imminent conflict, and the eventual entry of her country in the fighting. Rosamunde Pilcher takes us into World War II through the eyes of this blossoming young woman. Judith’s hopes, disappointments, loves, losses, and her own contribution to the war effort are all meticulously portrayed through the sensitive and skillful writing of this accomplished author. In addition to Judith, all of Pilcher’s characters are deftly drawn. One can easily evoke an image in the mind of what each one not only looks like, but how one might interact with every single person between these pages. Even different places and homes take on a life of their own at times.
This is my second Rosamunde Pilcher novel, and it is now safe to say that she absolutely needs to be on my list of favorite authors! The beautiful settings and the memorable characters are just two reasons why I love her writing. Each time I set the book aside, I couldn’t wait to get back to it. I had a bit of a rough May and June, and one thing I could count on was quiet time with this book and relaxing with these characters as if they were old friends. Definitely top notch comfort reading at its finest. A highly recommended 5 star read!
I loved taking this wonderful journey with Judith Dunbar from the impressionable age of fourteen in 1935 straight through the years of World War II. Judith learns so much about what it means to have a place in the world, a home to return to, loved ones to reunite with and hold close to the heart. I couldn’t help sympathizing with this young lady when first introduced to her. As her mother and young sister prepare to join her father in the distant port of Singapore, Judith is about to begin an adventure of her own as she stays behind to enroll in boarding school. She has not been totally abandoned, however, as she has been entrusted to the care of Aunt Louise. But the intimidating Aunt Louise is not quite the same as having one’s own mother around. Aunt Biddy, her mother’s sister, is more of a go-getter type and can be counted on in a pinch as well. And then Judith meets Loveday Carey-Lewis at St. Ursula’s, and is introduced to a life quite different from her own. An affluent but warm and welcoming family, the Carey-Lewis’s will offer their beautiful dwelling on the Cornish coast as another home-away-from-home for Judith. I’ve read several novels over the past couple of years that have painted such tantalizing images of Cornwall, so much so that I feel as if I have almost been there myself. I can almost relate to Gus Callender, as he makes his way to Cornwall and the Carey-Lewis home for the first time. This place is seriously on my bucket-list!
"And it was all piercingly familiar, as though he had seen it all before, and was simply returning, to a place long-known and deeply loved… The sheltering arm of the harbour pier, the coppice of tall-masted boats, the air alive with the scream of gulls. A small steam train, chuffing out of the station and along the curve of the shore. A terrace of Regency houses, windows blinking in the bright light, gardens rich with magnolia and camellia bushes. And over all, flowing in through the open window of the car, the fresh, cool, salty smell of tide-wrack and the open sea."
As the war looms over Europe and England, Judith becomes caught up in the fear, the preparations for imminent conflict, and the eventual entry of her country in the fighting. Rosamunde Pilcher takes us into World War II through the eyes of this blossoming young woman. Judith’s hopes, disappointments, loves, losses, and her own contribution to the war effort are all meticulously portrayed through the sensitive and skillful writing of this accomplished author. In addition to Judith, all of Pilcher’s characters are deftly drawn. One can easily evoke an image in the mind of what each one not only looks like, but how one might interact with every single person between these pages. Even different places and homes take on a life of their own at times.
This is my second Rosamunde Pilcher novel, and it is now safe to say that she absolutely needs to be on my list of favorite authors! The beautiful settings and the memorable characters are just two reasons why I love her writing. Each time I set the book aside, I couldn’t wait to get back to it. I had a bit of a rough May and June, and one thing I could count on was quiet time with this book and relaxing with these characters as if they were old friends. Definitely top notch comfort reading at its finest. A highly recommended 5 star read!
February 20, 2026
Toward the end of this epic saga, one of the characters says to his friend, “Perhaps ours is the last generation that will ever do what it is told.”
The year is 1945, and these two friends are headed back, in a little car, to the beauty and the wonder of Cornwall, in the UK. They are not who they were, at the novel’s beginning (1935). They will never be, again, what they once were, but they are something that their society, and their own personal joys and miseries, and a world war has done to them.
Perhaps ours is the last generation that will ever do what it is told.
We can not do exactly what we want to do, in these lives. I think most of us have figured that out by now. If our children did whatever they wanted to do, in our households, then we’d live in chaos; if adults behaved, in public, exactly as they wanted, then we’d live in anarchy.
So, what do we need to do, of what we are told, and what do we want to do, and how much resilience do we have, in this life, to endure what we can’t control?
For me, this historical fiction is an exploration of exactly that: resilience.
This was Ms. Pilcher’s penultimate novel, the only one she wrote before her very last one, WINTER SOLSTICE. I will go out on a limb and proclaim it her magnum opus, and I suspect it is the most autobiographical of all of her work.
Ms. Pilcher’s work was surprisingly modern for the times, and she typically told her stories set in the current day, but this one was an exception. Though it was published in 1995, the timeframe spans from 1935-1945.
What is very different about this offering: a pedophile, two gay characters, premarital sex, an amputation, mental illness, the deprivations of war. (It’s a mad, mad world!)
What is very similar about this offering: copious amounts of tea drinking, whisky drinking, preening, ridiculously contented servants, silly wardrobe changes, overuse of annoying words like slammed, clambered, peered.
I read this BEAST (my copy was a First Edition, at 728 pages) in 27 days, which, interestingly, means that I read, on average, 27 pages per day, for 27 days. Very do-able, though I did need to buy more eye drops.
My biggest niggle about Rosamund Pilcher: she was obsessed, as a writer, with a character’s exterior, more so than their interior. You rarely really know what any of her characters will do next, but you DO know exactly what their houses look like. Anyone who has read Ms. Pilcher’s work can confirm this: her HOUSES are as well-developed, if not more developed, than her characters!
The lady was a masterful storyteller, and I’d put her work right up there with Ernest Hemingway's and Alexandre Dumas's with her ability to tell a riveting, robust, full-bodied tale. She was also a MASTER of setting. I never, not ONCE, in this huge novel, doubted where anyone was, and she took me all over the world.
Yes, there are silly parts to this story, and you could fault her, somewhat, for overwriting, but, I’m being perfectly honest when I tell you that the only way I wouldn’t have finished this story is if I’d have died while reading it.
(This was a fabulous buddy read: Tatevik's review).
The year is 1945, and these two friends are headed back, in a little car, to the beauty and the wonder of Cornwall, in the UK. They are not who they were, at the novel’s beginning (1935). They will never be, again, what they once were, but they are something that their society, and their own personal joys and miseries, and a world war has done to them.
Perhaps ours is the last generation that will ever do what it is told.
We can not do exactly what we want to do, in these lives. I think most of us have figured that out by now. If our children did whatever they wanted to do, in our households, then we’d live in chaos; if adults behaved, in public, exactly as they wanted, then we’d live in anarchy.
So, what do we need to do, of what we are told, and what do we want to do, and how much resilience do we have, in this life, to endure what we can’t control?
For me, this historical fiction is an exploration of exactly that: resilience.
This was Ms. Pilcher’s penultimate novel, the only one she wrote before her very last one, WINTER SOLSTICE. I will go out on a limb and proclaim it her magnum opus, and I suspect it is the most autobiographical of all of her work.
Ms. Pilcher’s work was surprisingly modern for the times, and she typically told her stories set in the current day, but this one was an exception. Though it was published in 1995, the timeframe spans from 1935-1945.
What is very different about this offering: a pedophile, two gay characters, premarital sex, an amputation, mental illness, the deprivations of war. (It’s a mad, mad world!)
What is very similar about this offering: copious amounts of tea drinking, whisky drinking, preening, ridiculously contented servants, silly wardrobe changes, overuse of annoying words like slammed, clambered, peered.
I read this BEAST (my copy was a First Edition, at 728 pages) in 27 days, which, interestingly, means that I read, on average, 27 pages per day, for 27 days. Very do-able, though I did need to buy more eye drops.
My biggest niggle about Rosamund Pilcher: she was obsessed, as a writer, with a character’s exterior, more so than their interior. You rarely really know what any of her characters will do next, but you DO know exactly what their houses look like. Anyone who has read Ms. Pilcher’s work can confirm this: her HOUSES are as well-developed, if not more developed, than her characters!
The lady was a masterful storyteller, and I’d put her work right up there with Ernest Hemingway's and Alexandre Dumas's with her ability to tell a riveting, robust, full-bodied tale. She was also a MASTER of setting. I never, not ONCE, in this huge novel, doubted where anyone was, and she took me all over the world.
Yes, there are silly parts to this story, and you could fault her, somewhat, for overwriting, but, I’m being perfectly honest when I tell you that the only way I wouldn’t have finished this story is if I’d have died while reading it.
(This was a fabulous buddy read: Tatevik's review).
February 15, 2008
I read this when I am craving comfort and familiarity. Rosamunde Pilcher's books are like a hot bubblebath. You sink into the story and resurface a few hours later feeling refreshed.
February 26, 2026
It’s rare to read a book this long, 826 pages, without its sagging at some point. Rosamunde Pilcher knows how to tell a good story- actually a great story! Never at any point did I want to rush to finish the book or feel that it dragged.
This is the story of Judith Dunbar from 1935 to 1945. We meet her at age 14. She is off to boarding school as her mother and her sister must now return to Colombo, then Singapore to rejoin her father.
“ All the trials and treats of an ordinary girl, growing up. And Molly, her mother, was missing it all. It is all wrong. And yet she knew that she was not isolated. Her anguish was shared by thousands of other British wives and mothers. Whether in Singapore or England, one was never in the right place, and always yearning for the other.”
I can’t imagine living as Judith lived- in a boarding school, with her immediate family across the world. But luckily for Judith, she meets Loveday Carey-Lewis at school and this changes the course of her life. Loveday’s family is happy to welcome Judith into their fold. Over the years, Judith discovers love and disappointment. She learns to stand on her own. During WWII, she works as a WREN. All she yearns for is a home to call her own and her loved ones with her.
Judith discovers her “place” in Cornwall. Cornwall is alive and vibrant under Pilcher’s descriptions. I have been there twice and her depictions brought it all back to me.
There are quite a few characters in this book and by the end I felt sad to be leaving this group. The ending was perfect when I got there, but yet I could have continued reading. The magic of pure storytelling!
I read this book for the first time in the mid 1990’s. I loved coming back to it now and letting myself fall under its spell once again. It was always the perfect accompaniment with my afternoon tea!
Published: 1995
This is the story of Judith Dunbar from 1935 to 1945. We meet her at age 14. She is off to boarding school as her mother and her sister must now return to Colombo, then Singapore to rejoin her father.
“ All the trials and treats of an ordinary girl, growing up. And Molly, her mother, was missing it all. It is all wrong. And yet she knew that she was not isolated. Her anguish was shared by thousands of other British wives and mothers. Whether in Singapore or England, one was never in the right place, and always yearning for the other.”
I can’t imagine living as Judith lived- in a boarding school, with her immediate family across the world. But luckily for Judith, she meets Loveday Carey-Lewis at school and this changes the course of her life. Loveday’s family is happy to welcome Judith into their fold. Over the years, Judith discovers love and disappointment. She learns to stand on her own. During WWII, she works as a WREN. All she yearns for is a home to call her own and her loved ones with her.
Judith discovers her “place” in Cornwall. Cornwall is alive and vibrant under Pilcher’s descriptions. I have been there twice and her depictions brought it all back to me.
There are quite a few characters in this book and by the end I felt sad to be leaving this group. The ending was perfect when I got there, but yet I could have continued reading. The magic of pure storytelling!
I read this book for the first time in the mid 1990’s. I loved coming back to it now and letting myself fall under its spell once again. It was always the perfect accompaniment with my afternoon tea!
Published: 1995
July 8, 2024
OMG, I loved this book to pieces, while it frustrated the hell out of me at the same time.
It threw such an emotional punch that I am still reeling from it. Though at this point I am not sure I will ever forgive RP for giving me only a peep at the HEA and practically slamming the door in my face. The main couple and us readers would have deserved so much more. I am generally happy if there is a strong storyline that does not focus explicitly on a romance (hell, I prefer it that way), but here I don't think the main couple got more than 60 pages out of a massive 1000. I did not mind it in the first half of the book, but as I was nearing the end and their HEA was still nowhere in sight, I got very frustrated as both of them were such lovely persons.
Anyhow, I am spent by it all and need to calm the eff down from all those emotional highs and frustration lows. I teared up several times and I am not prone to tears as a rule.
Maybe later I will be able to write a proper review.
On a side note: could someone explain to me why this book won a Romance Award?!
(Romantic Novel of the Year (RoNa's) Award (1996))
In my opinion it is anything, but.
It is a very immersive historical fiction/women's fiction and a kind of family saga/coming of age with great characters and relationship dynamics. Some of these relationships are "romances" of course, but where the main couple hardly get any pagetime together and every little detail seems more important than their getting together, how is that a romance??
It threw such an emotional punch that I am still reeling from it. Though at this point I am not sure I will ever forgive RP for giving me only a peep at the HEA and practically slamming the door in my face. The main couple and us readers would have deserved so much more. I am generally happy if there is a strong storyline that does not focus explicitly on a romance (hell, I prefer it that way), but here I don't think the main couple got more than 60 pages out of a massive 1000. I did not mind it in the first half of the book, but as I was nearing the end and their HEA was still nowhere in sight, I got very frustrated as both of them were such lovely persons.
Anyhow, I am spent by it all and need to calm the eff down from all those emotional highs and frustration lows. I teared up several times and I am not prone to tears as a rule.
Maybe later I will be able to write a proper review.
On a side note: could someone explain to me why this book won a Romance Award?!
(Romantic Novel of the Year (RoNa's) Award (1996))
In my opinion it is anything, but.
It is a very immersive historical fiction/women's fiction and a kind of family saga/coming of age with great characters and relationship dynamics. Some of these relationships are "romances" of course, but where the main couple hardly get any pagetime together and every little detail seems more important than their getting together, how is that a romance??
June 2, 2012
This is possibly my favorite book of all time. It follows 14-year old Judith in pre-WW II Britain for about 13 years -- through pre-war family disruptions, boarding school (where she meets a new friend with an interesting family and a wonderful country house), the war itself (as a WREN, which takes her to Ceylon), and back to post-war Britain to find missing family and sort out her life.
I loved every part of it -- the girl herself, her family and friends, the country house, the romances, the vicarious travel to Ceylon -- and to an era that will never come again. I loved that Judith is a regular person, not a saint but quite admirable, and challenges are presented over which she prevails.
I also love Rosamunde Pilcher's grasp of detail -- I feel I am IN the room with Judith as I read.
Finally, the example of Judith's friend's mother, who had a "bolt-hole" apartment in London and was pleased to have her friends use it and thus share the joy is something that has guided me in real life.
I loved every part of it -- the girl herself, her family and friends, the country house, the romances, the vicarious travel to Ceylon -- and to an era that will never come again. I loved that Judith is a regular person, not a saint but quite admirable, and challenges are presented over which she prevails.
I also love Rosamunde Pilcher's grasp of detail -- I feel I am IN the room with Judith as I read.
Finally, the example of Judith's friend's mother, who had a "bolt-hole" apartment in London and was pleased to have her friends use it and thus share the joy is something that has guided me in real life.
May 4, 2019
It has been a little difficult for me to think coherently about what I want to say in this review.
This is only the second Rosamund Pilcher title I have ever read, and I loved this one as much as The Shell Seekers, for many of the same reasons. The writing is not pretentious, the people feel real, everything that happens is described so clearly that I still feel I am in Judith Dunbar's Dower House listening to the rain on the roof.
This type of book is a pleasure to read. It gives us lovely characters (even if their names can be a bit odd....would anyone really call their child Loveday?) and draws a picture of a time that will never be with us again. The story begins in the late 1930's, and of course the reader knows right away that we will see young Judith (around 14 in the first chapter) dealing with the trauma of WWII and how it affects her life and the lives of those around her.
I cried with Judith, worried with her and for her, sometimes wanted to give her a shake, but mostly cheered her on her journey through life. I will never forget this story, and I am already looking forward to a re-read Someday. And of course I will see what other Pilcher titles I can find for myself!
This is only the second Rosamund Pilcher title I have ever read, and I loved this one as much as The Shell Seekers, for many of the same reasons. The writing is not pretentious, the people feel real, everything that happens is described so clearly that I still feel I am in Judith Dunbar's Dower House listening to the rain on the roof.
This type of book is a pleasure to read. It gives us lovely characters (even if their names can be a bit odd....would anyone really call their child Loveday?) and draws a picture of a time that will never be with us again. The story begins in the late 1930's, and of course the reader knows right away that we will see young Judith (around 14 in the first chapter) dealing with the trauma of WWII and how it affects her life and the lives of those around her.
I cried with Judith, worried with her and for her, sometimes wanted to give her a shake, but mostly cheered her on her journey through life. I will never forget this story, and I am already looking forward to a re-read Someday. And of course I will see what other Pilcher titles I can find for myself!
December 14, 2024
A lengthy book but a marvelous comforting read of pre/post war England. Judith and her friends at Nancherrow that become like family make for a wonderful saga. This is Rosamunde Pilcher at her best.
March 15, 2024
I started my book vacations last year with London Belongs to Me. By my own definition, it's when I decide to read a long book (500 pages or more, this one is 826 pages), take it off my shelf where it has languished because of its size, and commit myself to it and settle in for a change of pace and a good time. No library books, no need to reads, no obligation reads; just me and this one good book. I couldn't have chosen a better book, I loved every word, every character and even every cup of tea, and there were a lot of those.
It begins in 1935, when Judith Dunbar is sent to boarding school because her parents and 4 year old sister must go to Singapore for her father's job. She's 14 and quickly makes a best friend of Loveday Carey-Lewis, another misfit, whose wealthy family halfway adopt Judith and give her a welcoming place to be. They are warm and accommodating, which is easy enough when you have lots of money, a big house, and lots of servants. The plot is way too involved to go into details, but the next 10 years encompass first love, WWII, births, deaths, disappointments, and all those tiny things that life throws at us in between the big things. The conclusion was perfect in every way, but without feeling contrived or manipulated.
Rosamunde Pilcher is a storyteller extraordinaire with complete control of her plot and characters. All of these people had flaws and made some bad decisions, because they are human, but you love them in spite of that. There was only one really despicable person but he was dealt with and dispatched quite satisfactorily. And as you see, I have been in this world for so long, I'm beginning talk like a Londoner. Things are "ghastly", cooking is done on "the Aga", I wear "rubbers" in the rain, etc. It will take a few days to erase that, but it's time now to leave this Cornwall setting, the Dower House, the Carey-Lewis clan, and Judith. They have their own lives to live, and I must get back to mine. Although, as Demelza Poldark would say, it leaves me bereft.
I have to ask though.....what is it with the British and all that tea? Not the iced kind I'm so used to, but the kind where you "have to put the kettle on". Every crisis, every bit of news, good or bad, calls for "a spot of tea". Come to think of it though, there's not an English novel worth its salt that doesn't have countless cups consumed by the characters. It's expected and I'd be disappointed without it. It's comforting just to read about it.
It begins in 1935, when Judith Dunbar is sent to boarding school because her parents and 4 year old sister must go to Singapore for her father's job. She's 14 and quickly makes a best friend of Loveday Carey-Lewis, another misfit, whose wealthy family halfway adopt Judith and give her a welcoming place to be. They are warm and accommodating, which is easy enough when you have lots of money, a big house, and lots of servants. The plot is way too involved to go into details, but the next 10 years encompass first love, WWII, births, deaths, disappointments, and all those tiny things that life throws at us in between the big things. The conclusion was perfect in every way, but without feeling contrived or manipulated.
Rosamunde Pilcher is a storyteller extraordinaire with complete control of her plot and characters. All of these people had flaws and made some bad decisions, because they are human, but you love them in spite of that. There was only one really despicable person but he was dealt with and dispatched quite satisfactorily. And as you see, I have been in this world for so long, I'm beginning talk like a Londoner. Things are "ghastly", cooking is done on "the Aga", I wear "rubbers" in the rain, etc. It will take a few days to erase that, but it's time now to leave this Cornwall setting, the Dower House, the Carey-Lewis clan, and Judith. They have their own lives to live, and I must get back to mine. Although, as Demelza Poldark would say, it leaves me bereft.
I have to ask though.....what is it with the British and all that tea? Not the iced kind I'm so used to, but the kind where you "have to put the kettle on". Every crisis, every bit of news, good or bad, calls for "a spot of tea". Come to think of it though, there's not an English novel worth its salt that doesn't have countless cups consumed by the characters. It's expected and I'd be disappointed without it. It's comforting just to read about it.
May 16, 2021
This was a reread, and I still love this book to pieces <3
February 15, 2021
This warm, cozy saga plays itself out mostly during the Second World War, but starts out in 1935 when Judith Dunbar is 14 years old and need to attend a boarding school in Cornwall. It ends after the war with the slow recovery of a devastated country. Judith is alone and needs to be indepedant after her mother moves back to Columbo where her father is involved in shipping. What looked like a bearable situation, changed dramatically when war is declared and her parents in the meantime have moved to Singapore.
Phew, this family drama could have been broken up into three different books and turned into a series. It just kept on and on and on and on and on and on.......yes, and on. Nine hundred and seventy seven pages. Take note.
I love the author's style. The more brash, brutal and crude contemporary novels become, the more valuable author's such as Rosamunde Pilcher and Maeve Binchy will be as a counterbalance in this family/romance genre.
There are many reasons to enjoy this novel. And why I battled on to finish it. However, I found the multitude of characters unnecessary. My head wanted to burst trying to keep up. Although the dire circumstances of the war and the historical newspaper reports confirm the physical, emotional, and mental cruelty of their challenges, the drawn out story line just wore me out completely. Not my favorite Rosamunde Pilcher novel. As historical fiction it is a worthwhile read though. And I still appreciate this author's stories tremendously. I will absolutely read this author again, but it will take a while.
PS. There are many autobiographical elements in this novel. Fascinating.
Phew, this family drama could have been broken up into three different books and turned into a series. It just kept on and on and on and on and on and on.......yes, and on. Nine hundred and seventy seven pages. Take note.
I love the author's style. The more brash, brutal and crude contemporary novels become, the more valuable author's such as Rosamunde Pilcher and Maeve Binchy will be as a counterbalance in this family/romance genre.
There are many reasons to enjoy this novel. And why I battled on to finish it. However, I found the multitude of characters unnecessary. My head wanted to burst trying to keep up. Although the dire circumstances of the war and the historical newspaper reports confirm the physical, emotional, and mental cruelty of their challenges, the drawn out story line just wore me out completely. Not my favorite Rosamunde Pilcher novel. As historical fiction it is a worthwhile read though. And I still appreciate this author's stories tremendously. I will absolutely read this author again, but it will take a while.
PS. There are many autobiographical elements in this novel. Fascinating.
June 15, 2017
This was one of the first Rosamunde Pilcher novels that I read and I have read it multiple times over again, as I have done with many of her books. It is the story of war, friendship, loneliness and most of all it is a story of belonging and having a place to call home regardless of where that place actually is - a building, a town, a school... it is your place, your home.
Pilcher's books always look like romance novels, and some do have a touch of romance included, but they are so much more than that. They are sweeping sagas that capture the emotions of a bygone era, paint a portrait of a time and people who we might otherwise overlook. They take us back in time and help us understand and grow. They always have made me feel like I was warm and comforted and I think it is only appropriate that she wrote a book that conveys that message so appropriately. It's a beautiful book that I recommend to all.
Pilcher's books always look like romance novels, and some do have a touch of romance included, but they are so much more than that. They are sweeping sagas that capture the emotions of a bygone era, paint a portrait of a time and people who we might otherwise overlook. They take us back in time and help us understand and grow. They always have made me feel like I was warm and comforted and I think it is only appropriate that she wrote a book that conveys that message so appropriately. It's a beautiful book that I recommend to all.
March 6, 2026
Надія страшенно важлива. Треба бути постійними в цьому. Зберігати віру. Клята війна не може тривати вічно. Я не знаю, як і коли, але вона закінчиться. Колись. Можливо раніше, ніж будь-хто з нас може собі уявити.
Який же ж хороший, повільний, спокійний, життєдайний, світлий роман 🥹
Оце саме той вид літератури, який сміливо можна назвати ліками для душі ❤️🩹
June 6, 2024
This was from my Facebook memory on June 6, 2018.
I just finished all 936 pages!
9 days into the trip and one other book read besides!!
I loved taking this wonderful journey with the main character, Judith...from the vulnerable age of 14 (1935) through WWII and a little beyond the end of the war.
I love Rosamunde Pilcher.
Her memorable characters, descriptive settings and flair for historical fiction made this a pleasurable reading experience.
If you are craving comfort and familiarity, this is like a hot bubble bath.
You sink into the story and resurface feeling amazingly refreshed.
I just finished all 936 pages!
9 days into the trip and one other book read besides!!
I loved taking this wonderful journey with the main character, Judith...from the vulnerable age of 14 (1935) through WWII and a little beyond the end of the war.
I love Rosamunde Pilcher.
Her memorable characters, descriptive settings and flair for historical fiction made this a pleasurable reading experience.
If you are craving comfort and familiarity, this is like a hot bubble bath.
You sink into the story and resurface feeling amazingly refreshed.
May 22, 2026
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. Absolutely fantastic. I love Judith Dunbar and her whole world so very, very much!
2026 Reread:
I think I loved this book even more upon my reread of it. The theme of finding a home, a place where you belong, is one I strongly resonate with and it plays out so beautifully as we follow Judith’s story. Full of challenges, loss, heartbreak, joy, sadness, comfort, family, friends…this book tackles all of life’s ups and downs in a way only Rosamunde Pilcher can do. Brilliant.
2026 Reread:
I think I loved this book even more upon my reread of it. The theme of finding a home, a place where you belong, is one I strongly resonate with and it plays out so beautifully as we follow Judith’s story. Full of challenges, loss, heartbreak, joy, sadness, comfort, family, friends…this book tackles all of life’s ups and downs in a way only Rosamunde Pilcher can do. Brilliant.
June 15, 2019
This EPIC audiobook (40 hours!) has earned the distinction of being my favorite listen of all time. I fell in love every time I listened and almost cried when it ended. Outstanding. OUTSTANDING ❤️
October 3, 2012
When looking at the cover of this novel I had no idea that I, being male, would ever enjoy this story. Boy was I wrong. I fell in love with the characters and the setting of this timeless piece of art. I sometimes consider myself a literary snob and was looking for something completely different to read. I now rank this book right up there as one of the most absorbing and emotional reads I have come across in a long while. For a previous reviewer who wrote this is poorly written, I would beg to differ. The prose and the dialogue are well scripted and structered. Coming Home is a feast and a delight which i shall not soon forget. I'm looking forward to the day I re-read this blessing of a novel and rejoin the colorful cast of characters who made me proud, laugh, and, embaressingly enough, at times brought tears to my eyes. I wanted to jump right into the novel and join this cast, especially the heroine which pleasantly was a strong, mature, and oh so good hearted female we follow from child to adult as one is taken on her incredible journey. If Jayne Eyre had been a happy book this may have been her story.
July 8, 2020
I've read this about six times, once out loud to my twelve-year-old daughter. Rosamunde Pilcher is always magic and this novel is her magnum opus. The epitome of British family sagas, of wartime in England, of family and love and friendship and boarding schools and English country manors. Basically everything I love. And, also, the ultimate in tea party descriptions, and for British food in general.
More about my tea party obsessions here: http://suannelaqueurwrites.com/litera...
More about my tea party obsessions here: http://suannelaqueurwrites.com/litera...
October 18, 2016
I loved the opening of this book. It reminded me of Jane Eyre, but as the story progressed, I could see that any similarity to that classic is purely superficial. This novel is a coming of age story of Judith Dunbar, set in prewar, war and post 2WW Britain. At the star of this novel, I was rather fascinated by the relationship between Judith and her mother, who seems to be a push-over, but at the same time capable of some deep thoughts. I found it perplexing, how this woman whom both Judith (her daughter) and her own sister consider incapable of looking after herself, could write such a philosophical letter to her husband. That's one of few letters in the novel that were not just a waist of papers. Others seems to be terribly repetitive. As the novel opens, Judith seems a bit unrealistically mature for a 14 year old, but that is something that could have been ignored if her later development made sense...and yet somehow it didn't. It is like the doesn't change at all during the course of the novel, always being quite stoic and reasonable...and frankly, it doesn't make much sense because she is the protagonist of the novel. Judith cared for so many people and made a difference in so many lives through the course of this novel and while I found all of these minor characters and their life stories very interesting, I don't understand why author didn't give us a closer insight into Judith's soul. We get to know her at the start of the novel, but from then on, we only get to see what she does, not so much what she feels.
The other characters, like her school friend, Loveday, often seem much more realistic that Judith herself. In addition, there is only one villain in this novel (really!) and he is typical cartoon villain. He feels so out of place in this novel. Towards the end, there is one guy that turns out to be kind of bad, but it is obvious he is just a tool used to bring two people together again.There are plenty of stereotypical characters to be found in this one, but fortunately only that villain seems cartoonish. Most of the other characters, during the development of the novel, manage to be at least interesting, if not utterly convincing and appealing. The story itself seems to flow quite well, albeit sometimes in a manner that is not entirely convincing. There are some really lazy (some would call them convenient but for me it is more a case of laziness) plot twists. Moreover, I could see everything that happened coming. Except that inheritance things at the start of the novel, but that part didn't make much sense, did it?
Coming Home is not a great work of literature, that's for sure. It has little, if any literary merit. Why do I like it then? I'm not even sure, but there is something wonderfully familiar about it, something cozy, human and warm about the story itself. Perhaps it is the sum of all those human stories (and there are a lot of stories and characters in this one). Somehow when I look at all those human stories together, they do manage to convey a message. I found it hard to relate to any of the characters on a personal level because they felt somehow distant, like I was hearing their story narrated by a random person who is only semi-interested in them. The dialogues between the characters were often well written, I have to give credit to writer for that, but that was hardly enough to make the characters seem more real. I mean when it really comes down to it, it is a romance novel. I usually don't have mixed feelings about romance books, because usually I don't like them, as romance is not really my kind of genre, so my mixed feelings actually indicate something positive about this novel.
There are some lovely description of nature and I quite enjoyed them but for most part the writing is noting exceptional. As for the epistolary part of the novel, most of the letter writing in the novel was quite bad, almost like it was the same person writing all those letters- a waste of paper. One thing that seemed very genuine in this novel was the theme of loss. There is a lot of death in the war period (as it is to be expected) and while sometimes these deaths seemed a bit convenient for an easier development of the plot, the emotion and the heartbreak that a loss entails was well described. The romance part in this novel was quite hideous and not interesting especially when it comes to the protagonist ( Judith just seems too much of a victim, I can't understand why a woman capable of caring for so much people would have such a hard time writing a damn letter to somebody she cares about), but the historical part of the novel, as well as all the sum of all life stories shared, somehow made up for it. I mean they're parts of this novel that are quite ridiculous, badly written and silly, but there is still warmth to it and something universal that I can't quite describe.
The other characters, like her school friend, Loveday, often seem much more realistic that Judith herself. In addition, there is only one villain in this novel (really!) and he is typical cartoon villain. He feels so out of place in this novel. Towards the end, there is one guy that turns out to be kind of bad, but it is obvious he is just a tool used to bring two people together again.There are plenty of stereotypical characters to be found in this one, but fortunately only that villain seems cartoonish. Most of the other characters, during the development of the novel, manage to be at least interesting, if not utterly convincing and appealing. The story itself seems to flow quite well, albeit sometimes in a manner that is not entirely convincing. There are some really lazy (some would call them convenient but for me it is more a case of laziness) plot twists. Moreover, I could see everything that happened coming. Except that inheritance things at the start of the novel, but that part didn't make much sense, did it?
Coming Home is not a great work of literature, that's for sure. It has little, if any literary merit. Why do I like it then? I'm not even sure, but there is something wonderfully familiar about it, something cozy, human and warm about the story itself. Perhaps it is the sum of all those human stories (and there are a lot of stories and characters in this one). Somehow when I look at all those human stories together, they do manage to convey a message. I found it hard to relate to any of the characters on a personal level because they felt somehow distant, like I was hearing their story narrated by a random person who is only semi-interested in them. The dialogues between the characters were often well written, I have to give credit to writer for that, but that was hardly enough to make the characters seem more real. I mean when it really comes down to it, it is a romance novel. I usually don't have mixed feelings about romance books, because usually I don't like them, as romance is not really my kind of genre, so my mixed feelings actually indicate something positive about this novel.
There are some lovely description of nature and I quite enjoyed them but for most part the writing is noting exceptional. As for the epistolary part of the novel, most of the letter writing in the novel was quite bad, almost like it was the same person writing all those letters- a waste of paper. One thing that seemed very genuine in this novel was the theme of loss. There is a lot of death in the war period (as it is to be expected) and while sometimes these deaths seemed a bit convenient for an easier development of the plot, the emotion and the heartbreak that a loss entails was well described. The romance part in this novel was quite hideous and not interesting especially when it comes to the protagonist ( Judith just seems too much of a victim, I can't understand why a woman capable of caring for so much people would have such a hard time writing a damn letter to somebody she cares about), but the historical part of the novel, as well as all the sum of all life stories shared, somehow made up for it. I mean they're parts of this novel that are quite ridiculous, badly written and silly, but there is still warmth to it and something universal that I can't quite describe.
February 9, 2026
Це така прекрасна книга, як на мій смак, що важко дібрати слова.
10 років, які я ніби прожила з героїнею протягом її дорослішання. 1000 сторінок, після яких хочеться ще 1000. Дорослішання, любов, втрати, життя, подорожі, війна, дружба, розчарування, надії, біль, мрії, зцілення і багато-багато тепла.
Ця книга за відчуттями і є поверненням додому.
Це саме та книга, якої я потребувала цієї холодної темної важкої зими.
Розамунда Пілчер просто чарівниця, що зцілює душі❤️🩹
10 років, які я ніби прожила з героїнею протягом її дорослішання. 1000 сторінок, після яких хочеться ще 1000. Дорослішання, любов, втрати, життя, подорожі, війна, дружба, розчарування, надії, біль, мрії, зцілення і багато-багато тепла.
Ця книга за відчуттями і є поверненням додому.
Це саме та книга, якої я потребувала цієї холодної темної важкої зими.
Розамунда Пілчер просто чарівниця, що зцілює душі❤️🩹
November 18, 2025
Coming Home was more than a book. It was an expansive journey with young Judith Dunbar as her life shifted from childhood to adulthood. All of which took place during the second world war. The events of the war deeply touched the lives of those closest to Judith. As a work of historical fiction, the tragedies of war are laid out well. As a coming of age, light romance novel, the story unfolds and plays out beautifully.
I couldn't help but fall in love with and care deeply for the characters throughout this book. And the locations were built up beautifully. I found myself fully immersed in the story more often than not.
I first read this when it was originally published in the late 90s. I loved it then and I love it now. There is something magical about Coming Home. Something I'm not able to put in words. Reading it again was very much like coming home. Five stars and all the love!
I couldn't help but fall in love with and care deeply for the characters throughout this book. And the locations were built up beautifully. I found myself fully immersed in the story more often than not.
I first read this when it was originally published in the late 90s. I loved it then and I love it now. There is something magical about Coming Home. Something I'm not able to put in words. Reading it again was very much like coming home. Five stars and all the love!
January 21, 2024
What an absolute joy this book was from start to finish! A ‘coming of age’ novel is just about my favourite type of book and I felt like I entered into the world of Judith Dunbar and the 1000 or so pages just seemed to turn themselves as I got totally absorbed into Judith’s world and that of her adopted Cornish family. Set in the 1930s and 1940s mainly in Cornwall and then later abroad while in the armed services. Pilcher provided such detailed descriptions of the era and the backdrop scenery of the Cornwall coast that made the whole story come alive. I was particularly impressed with the carefully researched details of the different armed forces and the hardships faced in the war years. This is a great book if you just need to get lost in a good story. This is my first Rosamund Pilcher novel and provided the perfect read alongside my rather taxing study texts, well worth 5 * 😊
Did Not Finish
March 5, 2026Dnf. Я брала цю книгу заради описів природи, поетичності і краси тексту, який може в себе занурити. По факту - для себе не знайшла нічого із цього.
Оповідь ведеться від третьої особи, і ми наче віддалено за всим спостерігаємо. Описи природи- більше для галочки, вони не занурюють у свою атмосферу.
Я не шукала тут динамічності чи сюжету як такого, я просто хотіла харизматичних героїв і краси. Можливо, ця книга програла в конкуренції з Марселем Прустом, якого я зараз паралельно читаю і це просто незрівнянно різні тексти, можливо я просто надіялась в Пілчер знайти такі ж прекрасні описи всього на світі, але це була початково невірна стратегія.
По відчуттям було «ну нормально», але читати таку цеглину, щоб в кінці сказати: «Це була просто хороша книжка» - я не хотіла.
Оповідь ведеться від третьої особи, і ми наче віддалено за всим спостерігаємо. Описи природи- більше для галочки, вони не занурюють у свою атмосферу.
Я не шукала тут динамічності чи сюжету як такого, я просто хотіла харизматичних героїв і краси. Можливо, ця книга програла в конкуренції з Марселем Прустом, якого я зараз паралельно читаю і це просто незрівнянно різні тексти, можливо я просто надіялась в Пілчер знайти такі ж прекрасні описи всього на світі, але це була початково невірна стратегія.
По відчуттям було «ну нормально», але читати таку цеглину, щоб в кінці сказати: «Це була просто хороша книжка» - я не хотіла.
March 1, 2022
3.5 Stars
Coming Home follows the life of Judith Dunbar beginning in 1936, when she is a fourteen year old school girl. Born in Ceylon, Judith lives quietly with her mother Molly and her four year old sister Jess in a rented house in Cornwall, England. Now, Jess's father has written from Ceylon, telling his wife that he's been promoted, they'll be moving to Singapore and it's time she and Jess returned to him. Judith is left behind, at boarding school, and this is where her rather lonely life takes a turn for the better. Befriended by the wealthy, charming and willful Loveday Carey-Lewis, she becomes a part of Loveday's family, spending idyllic holidays at Nancherrow, the elegant Carey-Lewis estate.
Judith did strike me as being very cold and I do think that she used Loveday for her family and beautiful house without actually liking her. But, since this is exactly the sort of story I enjoy, character driven historical fiction set in England during the 1930s and 40s, I'll ignore these aspects of her character.
Fine writing and interesting times makes this 900 page novel worth the effort.
Coming Home follows the life of Judith Dunbar beginning in 1936, when she is a fourteen year old school girl. Born in Ceylon, Judith lives quietly with her mother Molly and her four year old sister Jess in a rented house in Cornwall, England. Now, Jess's father has written from Ceylon, telling his wife that he's been promoted, they'll be moving to Singapore and it's time she and Jess returned to him. Judith is left behind, at boarding school, and this is where her rather lonely life takes a turn for the better. Befriended by the wealthy, charming and willful Loveday Carey-Lewis, she becomes a part of Loveday's family, spending idyllic holidays at Nancherrow, the elegant Carey-Lewis estate.
Judith did strike me as being very cold and I do think that she used Loveday for her family and beautiful house without actually liking her. But, since this is exactly the sort of story I enjoy, character driven historical fiction set in England during the 1930s and 40s, I'll ignore these aspects of her character.
Fine writing and interesting times makes this 900 page novel worth the effort.
December 1, 2019
Terrific 40 hour saga which I just finished on audio for the second time this year (first time was in January). I wanted an easy, long audio book that I knew I would love and that would immediately engage me. So, I went back to a previously read book which I recall loving and that induced in me a desire to move to Cornwall immediately. Coming Home was just the ticket. It transported me to Cornwall, England, pre- to post- WW11; to people who behave lovingly towards each other always, who are unselfish and strong, and who live in cozy cottages by the sea surrounded by beautiful gardens and who drink masses of strong tea to recover from sleep, or any withering experience, great or small. Having finished the novel for the second time, I feel devastated that all the lovely people with whom I've lived for several days are now out of my life. It will take a while to move on to my next book which may suffer by comparison.
Coming Home and Shell Seekers (which I also recently reread on audio) and Rosamunde Pilcher's masterpieces. I adore both. I just wish that her other books were as fine. I would listen to the lot of them straight through.
Coming Home and Shell Seekers (which I also recently reread on audio) and Rosamunde Pilcher's masterpieces. I adore both. I just wish that her other books were as fine. I would listen to the lot of them straight through.
March 22, 2024
Rosamunde Pilcher never fails to satisfy me with her wonderful stories of English families mixed with excellent descriptions of time and place. This novel follows the life of Judith Dunbar, starting in pre-WWII England (Cornwall), when her mother deposits her at an English boarding school and returns to Singapore to join her husband who is working there. (I logically understand that many parents located in the British colonies had long separations from their children - - but I cannot emotionally contemplate saying goodbye to my daughter knowing I would not see her for four years.). The boarding school scenes are wonderful, as are the scenes at the home of an upper-class Cornish family where Judith is invited to spend the holidays and becomes accepted as a family member. WWII begins and Judith ultimately becomes a WREN and is posted the Far East. The WWII scenes in both England and Colombo were nicely done, with lots of detail about deprivations and pleasures.
Several things make this novel so entertaining. Each character (and there are many of them) is well and fully portrayed. The reader has a complete sense of the nature and personality of each person who affects Judith’s life. Pilcher writes in great detail, so the reader sees clothing, room style and small daily activities. Of course, the characters interact in expected and unexpected ways. We experience Judith’s friendships and loves - - and losses. This is very long novel, but it kept moving. If you have enjoyed other Rosamunde Pilcher novels, I think you will really like this one.
Several things make this novel so entertaining. Each character (and there are many of them) is well and fully portrayed. The reader has a complete sense of the nature and personality of each person who affects Judith’s life. Pilcher writes in great detail, so the reader sees clothing, room style and small daily activities. Of course, the characters interact in expected and unexpected ways. We experience Judith’s friendships and loves - - and losses. This is very long novel, but it kept moving. If you have enjoyed other Rosamunde Pilcher novels, I think you will really like this one.
September 12, 2014
One of my favorite books, one I love to re-read. Very comforting family saga set during WWII England.
November 6, 2025
I thought I've already reviewed this, so in case I have, please forgive me.
After reading "The Shell Seekers" and it's sequel "September", I became very interested in British author Rosamunde Pilcher and finally read "Coming Home".
For me that's her master piece.
It describes the life of 14 year old Judith Dunbar from 1936 until 1946 at boarding school, at her best friend Loveday Carey-Lewis' estate Nancherrow in Cornwall (beautiful descriptions of the lovely Cornwall landscape) and later in WW II London while the Germans were bombing the city.
The only pages I found rather uneventful were those taking place in Singapore or Colombo (I tend to mix them up) where Judith's parents and little sister lived until WW II.
I've read this book 4 times over the past 20+ years and it's the only hardcover book with 1.100 pages which I can finish reading in less than a week (which is very fast for me).
The kind of book for which you make time even if you don't have enough time.
When the novel was filmed with Peter O'Toole, Joanna Lumley (in her best role ever), a very young Keira Knightley and Paul Bettany (The DaVinci Code), I was thrilled. It's one of the best adaptations from book to the small screen which I've ever seen.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0158653/...
Fortunately there's a sequel even though Pilcher never wrote one, but the script writer obviously must be a big Pilcher fan as he did an excellent job with "Nancherrow":
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164112/...
Both mini TV series are available on DVD via amazon.
Enjoy the novel first and then watch both TV mini series. Or watch the TV adaptations first and then read the novel for more background information. Either way, you are in for a big treat!
Several Pilcher readers on Goodreads asked which other author writes in a similar style. Daphne DuMaurier probably comes the closest as she focuses on Cornwall (especially the Fowey area).
Maeve Binchy was not up to par for me nor was Jan Karon, but I thoroughly enjoyed "A Peculiar Chemistry" by British novelist Kitty Ray.
Two other Brits that I love to read are Barbara Erskine and Susanna Kearsley.
There is a Canadian author, K. C. McKinnon, who wrote a lovely novel called "Dancing at the Harvest Moon". It was filmed for TV with Jacqueline Bisset.
Nancy Thayer (especially her first 12 novels), Anita Shreve and Luanne Rice come to my mind.
I just discovered Nicholas Sparks and especially enjoyed "Message in a Bottle", "Safe Haven" (it resembles "Sleeping with the Enemy", but has a better ending) and a few others. I think I wrote reviews.
PS: I listened to the audio book version on our vacation in October 2025. Such a delight!
After reading "The Shell Seekers" and it's sequel "September", I became very interested in British author Rosamunde Pilcher and finally read "Coming Home".
For me that's her master piece.
It describes the life of 14 year old Judith Dunbar from 1936 until 1946 at boarding school, at her best friend Loveday Carey-Lewis' estate Nancherrow in Cornwall (beautiful descriptions of the lovely Cornwall landscape) and later in WW II London while the Germans were bombing the city.
The only pages I found rather uneventful were those taking place in Singapore or Colombo (I tend to mix them up) where Judith's parents and little sister lived until WW II.
I've read this book 4 times over the past 20+ years and it's the only hardcover book with 1.100 pages which I can finish reading in less than a week (which is very fast for me).
The kind of book for which you make time even if you don't have enough time.
When the novel was filmed with Peter O'Toole, Joanna Lumley (in her best role ever), a very young Keira Knightley and Paul Bettany (The DaVinci Code), I was thrilled. It's one of the best adaptations from book to the small screen which I've ever seen.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0158653/...
Fortunately there's a sequel even though Pilcher never wrote one, but the script writer obviously must be a big Pilcher fan as he did an excellent job with "Nancherrow":
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0164112/...
Both mini TV series are available on DVD via amazon.
Enjoy the novel first and then watch both TV mini series. Or watch the TV adaptations first and then read the novel for more background information. Either way, you are in for a big treat!
Several Pilcher readers on Goodreads asked which other author writes in a similar style. Daphne DuMaurier probably comes the closest as she focuses on Cornwall (especially the Fowey area).
Maeve Binchy was not up to par for me nor was Jan Karon, but I thoroughly enjoyed "A Peculiar Chemistry" by British novelist Kitty Ray.
Two other Brits that I love to read are Barbara Erskine and Susanna Kearsley.
There is a Canadian author, K. C. McKinnon, who wrote a lovely novel called "Dancing at the Harvest Moon". It was filmed for TV with Jacqueline Bisset.
Nancy Thayer (especially her first 12 novels), Anita Shreve and Luanne Rice come to my mind.
I just discovered Nicholas Sparks and especially enjoyed "Message in a Bottle", "Safe Haven" (it resembles "Sleeping with the Enemy", but has a better ending) and a few others. I think I wrote reviews.
PS: I listened to the audio book version on our vacation in October 2025. Such a delight!
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