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A Place to Call Home
In the dead of night, Ayesha takes her daughter, Sabina, and slips quietly from her home, leaving behind a life of full of pain. Boarding a coach to London, all Ayesha wants is a fresh start.
Hayden, a former pop star, has kept himself hidden away for years. He's only opened up his home to two people—Crystal, a professional dancer with a heart of gold, and Joy, an ill-tempered retiree with a soft spot for waifs and strays.
When Crystal asks Hayden if Ayesha and Sabina can stay with them, he reluctantly agrees and, as different as they may be, they quickly form an unlikely bond. So when enemies threaten their peaceful home, they will do all they can to save it and each other.
Uplifting and emotional, this is a novel of new beginnings, of discovering love and of finding A Place to Call Home.
Hayden, a former pop star, has kept himself hidden away for years. He's only opened up his home to two people—Crystal, a professional dancer with a heart of gold, and Joy, an ill-tempered retiree with a soft spot for waifs and strays.
When Crystal asks Hayden if Ayesha and Sabina can stay with them, he reluctantly agrees and, as different as they may be, they quickly form an unlikely bond. So when enemies threaten their peaceful home, they will do all they can to save it and each other.
Uplifting and emotional, this is a novel of new beginnings, of discovering love and of finding A Place to Call Home.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 9, 2014
103 people are currently reading
1767 people want to read
About the author
Carole Matthews
75 books1,718 followersCarole Matthews is an international bestselling author of hugely successful romantic comedy novels. Her unique sense of humour has won her legions of fans and critical acclaim all over the world.
A Minor Indiscretion and A Compromising Position both reached the Top 5 in the Sunday Times bestseller chart in the UK. You Drive Me Crazy reached number 8 in the original fiction charts. The novel Welcome To The Real World was shortlisted for RNA romantic novel of the year 2007.
In 2006 Carole co-edited - with writer Sarah Mlynowski - two new editions of the hugely popular Girls' Night In charity series called Girls' Night Out - one for the USA and one for Canada. All proceeds go to War Child.
Carole has presented on television and is a regular radio guest. When she’s not writing novels, television or film scripts she manages to find time to trek in the Himalayas, rollerblade in Central Park, take tea in China and snooze in her garden shed in Milton Keynes which is near London, England.
A Minor Indiscretion and A Compromising Position both reached the Top 5 in the Sunday Times bestseller chart in the UK. You Drive Me Crazy reached number 8 in the original fiction charts. The novel Welcome To The Real World was shortlisted for RNA romantic novel of the year 2007.
In 2006 Carole co-edited - with writer Sarah Mlynowski - two new editions of the hugely popular Girls' Night In charity series called Girls' Night Out - one for the USA and one for Canada. All proceeds go to War Child.
Carole has presented on television and is a regular radio guest. When she’s not writing novels, television or film scripts she manages to find time to trek in the Himalayas, rollerblade in Central Park, take tea in China and snooze in her garden shed in Milton Keynes which is near London, England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews
June 20, 2022
Sri Lankan born Ayesha ends up in a marriage arranged by her parents. But the handsome Suresh is not the man her parents Ayesha thought he was. It has been a marriage of abuse and pain. After years of abuse from him, Ayesha takes her daughter Sabina and flees. Ayesha desperately wants a new life for herself and her child.
Hayden, is a former pop star, has been hiding from public view for years. He owns a large home that he has opened up to help two people. One is Crystal, a generous hearted dancer. Joy, is the other person, a prickly but soft hearted retiree. When they encounter the desperate Ayesha and Sabina, they convince Hayden to let them stay. He is more than a little reluctant but is powerless to resist the women’s pleas. What difference will Ayesha and Sabine make to this household? And can Ayesha keep herself and Sabina safe. Or will Suresh and his accomplices find his wife and daughter and what will happen if he does?
The characters are likeable but Crystal tends to be over the top. The scene in the dance club is graphic and uncomfortable to read. I skimmed and was glad when it moved on. And for me, Ayesha does seem to recover too easily from her abusive marriage, and dear little Sabrina, is perhaps a little too good to quite believe. The impact of the violence she has seen leaves Sabina mute. Will she ever regain her voice?
On the whole, it’s enjoyable enough even if I wasn’t totally convinced by the characters. The ending though does seem to be wrapped up a little too abruptly and neatly. A book that will please many but disappoint others I suspect. Enjoyable without being memorable.
Hayden, is a former pop star, has been hiding from public view for years. He owns a large home that he has opened up to help two people. One is Crystal, a generous hearted dancer. Joy, is the other person, a prickly but soft hearted retiree. When they encounter the desperate Ayesha and Sabina, they convince Hayden to let them stay. He is more than a little reluctant but is powerless to resist the women’s pleas. What difference will Ayesha and Sabine make to this household? And can Ayesha keep herself and Sabina safe. Or will Suresh and his accomplices find his wife and daughter and what will happen if he does?
The characters are likeable but Crystal tends to be over the top. The scene in the dance club is graphic and uncomfortable to read. I skimmed and was glad when it moved on. And for me, Ayesha does seem to recover too easily from her abusive marriage, and dear little Sabrina, is perhaps a little too good to quite believe. The impact of the violence she has seen leaves Sabina mute. Will she ever regain her voice?
On the whole, it’s enjoyable enough even if I wasn’t totally convinced by the characters. The ending though does seem to be wrapped up a little too abruptly and neatly. A book that will please many but disappoint others I suspect. Enjoyable without being memorable.
January 27, 2015
Although i've discovered recently that i like Carole Matthews books this one i couldn't finish. I didn't like the way it was written and i don't believe that someone in an abusive marriage would be ok being on her own in a room with a strange man a matter of days after leaving her husband. I know this is fiction but if you're going to write about such a serious subject i feel it needs to be accurate and in that respect i didn't think this was.
August 9, 2016
I have to admit to being just a little biased here because Carole Matthews is an all-time favourite author. I’ve read all her books and there isn’t one that I haven’t enjoyed. A Place to Call Home is a slightly darker read than usual in that it touches on the subject of domestic abuse but it still has her trademark lightness of touch and sense of fun.
It was a real stroke of luck for Ayesha and Sabina Rasheed when they found sanctuary with Hayden and his lodgers after escaping from Ayesha's abusive marriage with Suresh. Ayesha’s parents arranged her marriage thinking that she would be loved and looked after however life hasn’t worked out well for Ayesha and, Sabina, their young daughter, has become so traumatised by events that she has stopped speaking.
The house where Ayesha and Sabina find themselves is owned by Hayden, an ex-pop star who has suffered tragedy of his own. He keeps himself shut away from public life but through circumstance has found himself sharing his house with two other people, each damaged in their own way. Crystal, a lap dancer, has a tough exterior with a larger than life personality but also has a heart of gold whilst Joy, a former neighbour, is an elderly curmudgeon whose main enjoyment in life is the garden. Ayesha and Sabina have to somehow make a new life for themselves whilst recovering from the torment they have suffered and what follows is an uplifting and emotional read that tugs at the heartstrings and makes you realise the importance of friendship and kindness and the need to feel safe. The story isn’t all sweetness and light however, there is a little bit of suspense and danger to keep the reader on their toes!
With very different but beautifully crafted characters, I think this is one of Carole’s best books to date. I could happily have moved into Hayden’s house myself (although my cooking would be no better than Crystal’s!)
It was a real stroke of luck for Ayesha and Sabina Rasheed when they found sanctuary with Hayden and his lodgers after escaping from Ayesha's abusive marriage with Suresh. Ayesha’s parents arranged her marriage thinking that she would be loved and looked after however life hasn’t worked out well for Ayesha and, Sabina, their young daughter, has become so traumatised by events that she has stopped speaking.
The house where Ayesha and Sabina find themselves is owned by Hayden, an ex-pop star who has suffered tragedy of his own. He keeps himself shut away from public life but through circumstance has found himself sharing his house with two other people, each damaged in their own way. Crystal, a lap dancer, has a tough exterior with a larger than life personality but also has a heart of gold whilst Joy, a former neighbour, is an elderly curmudgeon whose main enjoyment in life is the garden. Ayesha and Sabina have to somehow make a new life for themselves whilst recovering from the torment they have suffered and what follows is an uplifting and emotional read that tugs at the heartstrings and makes you realise the importance of friendship and kindness and the need to feel safe. The story isn’t all sweetness and light however, there is a little bit of suspense and danger to keep the reader on their toes!
With very different but beautifully crafted characters, I think this is one of Carole’s best books to date. I could happily have moved into Hayden’s house myself (although my cooking would be no better than Crystal’s!)
Want to read
January 21, 2021I bought this book back in 2014, when I recently got some books from back home, I added it because I wanted to read it a lot. The cover and title attracted me to the book and now that I'm reading I'm ALL in! It's sort of nerve-racking and exciting.
Ayesha is a woman who is originally from Sri Lanka, she marries a man who lives in England, she gets horribly abused, but her daughter who is traumatized helps her make the decision to run away from her abusive husband and his silent family, with the clothes on her back to London, to seek help from an organization that takes care of abused women (thank God for such people).
I imagine Ayesha as Sakina Jaffrey when she was younger.
Ayesha is a woman who is originally from Sri Lanka, she marries a man who lives in England, she gets horribly abused, but her daughter who is traumatized helps her make the decision to run away from her abusive husband and his silent family, with the clothes on her back to London, to seek help from an organization that takes care of abused women (thank God for such people).
I imagine Ayesha as Sakina Jaffrey when she was younger.
February 25, 2016
I have to say that i totally love it. Ayesha mangsa penderaan suami nekad melarikan diri dari rumah. Segala perancangan sudah dibuat berbulan lamanya dan akhirnya dia berjaya melarikan diri dari suami bersama anak perempuannya.
Sabrina sejak melihat ibunya didera dia mula trauma. Tidak boleh bercakap.
Disebabkan pusat penempatan perlindungan dah penuh, ayesha beruntung apabila staff di situ membantu ayesha memdapatkan tempat perlindungan sementara di sebuah rumah lain.
A place to call home is a novel deals with domestic abuse and new hope, beginning of life.
Saya suka novel ni sebab penulis tidak memaparkan scene penderaan and air mata wanita(seriously i can't read that kind of story/scene. Hate it) tetapi novel ini membawa pembaca mengikuti perjalanan ayesha yg ingin mula hidup baru. And yes, agak klise apabila wanita didera suami bertemu dengan handsome guy (hayden) super hot and ex-pop star. (Tapi hayden ada kisahnya juga. Selepas kemalangan yg menimpa menyebabkan kematian gfnya, hyden trauma dan mengasingkan diri) tapi its better then baca suami yg suka mendera lepas tu insaf suddenly become super romantic. Kan? Hihi. Bagi saya lelaki yg suka mendera ni memang payah nak berubah, apatah lagi nak berubah jadi gila romantik. Even lelaki tak romantik nak berubah jadi romantik pun payah. Tapi ini pendapat sayalah. Lain org lain penerimaannya.
Back to the story. Saya suka kisah persahabatan diantara Ayesha, crystal, joy and hyden. Sebuah kisah yg buat saya tersenyum, terharu dan teruja. Setiap orang yg tinggal dalam rumah itu ada kisah sedih dan pedih masing2. Dan selepas kedatangan ayesha dan anaknya rumah yg kaku beku akhirnya berubah ceria. Nak tahu apa yg berlaku pada mereka? Kisah pedih mereka? Macam mana mereka berjaya harungi? Mampukah sabrina kembali bersuara? Apa kesudahan kisah ayesha?
Sila baca.
Sabrina sejak melihat ibunya didera dia mula trauma. Tidak boleh bercakap.
Disebabkan pusat penempatan perlindungan dah penuh, ayesha beruntung apabila staff di situ membantu ayesha memdapatkan tempat perlindungan sementara di sebuah rumah lain.
A place to call home is a novel deals with domestic abuse and new hope, beginning of life.
Saya suka novel ni sebab penulis tidak memaparkan scene penderaan and air mata wanita(seriously i can't read that kind of story/scene. Hate it) tetapi novel ini membawa pembaca mengikuti perjalanan ayesha yg ingin mula hidup baru. And yes, agak klise apabila wanita didera suami bertemu dengan handsome guy (hayden) super hot and ex-pop star. (Tapi hayden ada kisahnya juga. Selepas kemalangan yg menimpa menyebabkan kematian gfnya, hyden trauma dan mengasingkan diri) tapi its better then baca suami yg suka mendera lepas tu insaf suddenly become super romantic. Kan? Hihi. Bagi saya lelaki yg suka mendera ni memang payah nak berubah, apatah lagi nak berubah jadi gila romantik. Even lelaki tak romantik nak berubah jadi romantik pun payah. Tapi ini pendapat sayalah. Lain org lain penerimaannya.
Back to the story. Saya suka kisah persahabatan diantara Ayesha, crystal, joy and hyden. Sebuah kisah yg buat saya tersenyum, terharu dan teruja. Setiap orang yg tinggal dalam rumah itu ada kisah sedih dan pedih masing2. Dan selepas kedatangan ayesha dan anaknya rumah yg kaku beku akhirnya berubah ceria. Nak tahu apa yg berlaku pada mereka? Kisah pedih mereka? Macam mana mereka berjaya harungi? Mampukah sabrina kembali bersuara? Apa kesudahan kisah ayesha?
Sila baca.
February 24, 2014
4 Heart Breaking & Heart Warming Stars.
A Place Called Home is the first book I have read by Carole Matthews. What an absolute pleasure and joy every page was. I devoured the book over a weekend, and experienced pretty much every emotion available while reading it.
This is a house of broken hearts.
This is a book quite simply that highlights all that is good and all that is bad in the world today. I was in equal parts charmed and horrified as the story progresses. The story begins with Ayesha Rasheed felling her marital home in Milton Keynes with her daughter in the dead of night.
Coming to the UK some 10 years previous from Sri-Lanka, she had high expectations for her arranged marriage and the opportunities and experiences it would afford her. Unfortunately, as the years have passed and the opportunities have dwindled, her husband has become more bitter and violent towards her, fearful for her daughter Sabina who has stopped speaking, she decides enough is enough and leaves.
Ending up in London, Ayesha finds herself taking up residence in one of the spare rooms in a former music stars house on the edges of Hampstead Heath, slightly farfetched, but I was enjoying the book so much I didn’t care.
The wealth of diverse and likeable characters in this book were an absolute treat for the imagination. I loved curmudgeonly Joy, with her gardening obsession, and hidden heart of gold. Crystal is the kind of woman we all need one of in our lives as a friend, she has her heart firmly fixed on her sleeve, and her bubbly effervescence, fizzed through the pages. Hayden is the sort of tortured soul that any sane minded woman would fall deeply in love with. This is a man that opens his house to those struggling, but expects nothing but friendship in return. Grieving the loss of the love of his life, this rag-tag group of women manages to gradually pull him back into the land of the living, one special moment at a time.
I think I have run out of words to say how much I enjoyed this book. Although it deals with serious and dark issues, I found it highly entertaining, and totally enjoyable. It’s good to see that once in a while nice guys don’t always finish last!
ARC provided via Netgalley, and it was an absolute pleasure to read this book and provide the above honest review.
A Place Called Home is the first book I have read by Carole Matthews. What an absolute pleasure and joy every page was. I devoured the book over a weekend, and experienced pretty much every emotion available while reading it.
This is a house of broken hearts.
This is a book quite simply that highlights all that is good and all that is bad in the world today. I was in equal parts charmed and horrified as the story progresses. The story begins with Ayesha Rasheed felling her marital home in Milton Keynes with her daughter in the dead of night.
Coming to the UK some 10 years previous from Sri-Lanka, she had high expectations for her arranged marriage and the opportunities and experiences it would afford her. Unfortunately, as the years have passed and the opportunities have dwindled, her husband has become more bitter and violent towards her, fearful for her daughter Sabina who has stopped speaking, she decides enough is enough and leaves.
Ending up in London, Ayesha finds herself taking up residence in one of the spare rooms in a former music stars house on the edges of Hampstead Heath, slightly farfetched, but I was enjoying the book so much I didn’t care.
The wealth of diverse and likeable characters in this book were an absolute treat for the imagination. I loved curmudgeonly Joy, with her gardening obsession, and hidden heart of gold. Crystal is the kind of woman we all need one of in our lives as a friend, she has her heart firmly fixed on her sleeve, and her bubbly effervescence, fizzed through the pages. Hayden is the sort of tortured soul that any sane minded woman would fall deeply in love with. This is a man that opens his house to those struggling, but expects nothing but friendship in return. Grieving the loss of the love of his life, this rag-tag group of women manages to gradually pull him back into the land of the living, one special moment at a time.
I think I have run out of words to say how much I enjoyed this book. Although it deals with serious and dark issues, I found it highly entertaining, and totally enjoyable. It’s good to see that once in a while nice guys don’t always finish last!
ARC provided via Netgalley, and it was an absolute pleasure to read this book and provide the above honest review.
April 24, 2014
I am a huge fan of Carole Matthews and her books – reading her novels really helped me get into and love this particular genre and so I have SO MANY wonderful memories of discovering her books.
Ayesha and her daughter Sabina left behind a life of pain, slipping quietly into the night and away from their home, wanting so much for a fresh start for both of them. Hayden is a popstar and he has hidden himself away for years, with only Crystal and Joy coming into his home. So when Crystal asks Hayden if Ayesha and Sabina can stay, he reluctantly agrees. But soon they form a bond, and can they all keep the bad away and save each other?
One way to describe this stunning book would be to say it was like a rollercoaster ride. I felt so many emotions reading this – I laughed, I cried and shed a few (okay, more than a few) tears. I was just so emotionally involved in the characters, their lives and everything I was reading. I cared SO MUCH about the characters and I was truly gripped wanting to know what would happen to them. Ayesha and Sabina’s story really stuck with me and I couldn’t put the book down because I was desperate to know how things would go for them.
Carole Matthews tackles some very serious and sensitive issues in A Place To Call Home, and I feel that this was done with thought, emotion and so much care. I was particularly drawn in because of these aspects, and I must say for me it was a very emotional read. I made such a connection with the characters, at times I was moved, and I finished the story feeling as though Carole and her words had left a strong impact on me.
As well as this, Carole writes some happier moments and mixes them in to create a stunning story. A Place Called Home is a truly captivating novel that combines lighter moments with serious topics that are handled in such a moving, realistic and sensitive way. One of my favourite novels by Carole.
Ayesha and her daughter Sabina left behind a life of pain, slipping quietly into the night and away from their home, wanting so much for a fresh start for both of them. Hayden is a popstar and he has hidden himself away for years, with only Crystal and Joy coming into his home. So when Crystal asks Hayden if Ayesha and Sabina can stay, he reluctantly agrees. But soon they form a bond, and can they all keep the bad away and save each other?
One way to describe this stunning book would be to say it was like a rollercoaster ride. I felt so many emotions reading this – I laughed, I cried and shed a few (okay, more than a few) tears. I was just so emotionally involved in the characters, their lives and everything I was reading. I cared SO MUCH about the characters and I was truly gripped wanting to know what would happen to them. Ayesha and Sabina’s story really stuck with me and I couldn’t put the book down because I was desperate to know how things would go for them.
Carole Matthews tackles some very serious and sensitive issues in A Place To Call Home, and I feel that this was done with thought, emotion and so much care. I was particularly drawn in because of these aspects, and I must say for me it was a very emotional read. I made such a connection with the characters, at times I was moved, and I finished the story feeling as though Carole and her words had left a strong impact on me.
As well as this, Carole writes some happier moments and mixes them in to create a stunning story. A Place Called Home is a truly captivating novel that combines lighter moments with serious topics that are handled in such a moving, realistic and sensitive way. One of my favourite novels by Carole.
February 23, 2018
Quite an enjoyable easy read.
March 24, 2021
I am not going to kid, story was good but stretched to whole new length. This made the story too boring. The story is about Ayesha and her daughter Sabina who moved to London after the series of violence banged by Ayesha’s husband Suresh. I got totally whiplash from the author’s turtle narration.
April 16, 2014
You probably all know by now that I am the biggest Carole Matthews fan ever! I absolutely adore all her books, but this one I felt was particularly special.
The suspense in parts, was just incredible and made me wonder if Carole would ever consider switching genres. She is just fabulous at writing romantic comedy but I did wonder how incredible she’d be at writing thrillers too! She certainly had me holding my breath and clutching at my chest at more than one point.
I think that the subject matter of domestic abuse and how it affects a family, made this a rather poignant book as it was her normal beautifully written romantic comedy but with a great deal of seriousness thrown in too. This made for a fantastic read.
The characters were all very different but beautifully created as they completely complemented each other and I would have quite happily taken one of the spare bedrooms and moved into the big house myself. I wanted to be friends with these people who had Ayesha and Sabina's backs. I found myself willing Ayesha on to another life and was so happy that she had found a safe place to be herself in Hayden’s home.
Whenever I pick up a new book of Carole’s, a tiny part of me wonders how she can possibly continue to write fabulous stories and come up with wonderful and new ideas for her plots. But she NEVER lets me down and her books just get better and better. This one certainly was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.
I think that A Place To Call Home is the best book that Carole has ever written! Can’t wait for the next one!
The suspense in parts, was just incredible and made me wonder if Carole would ever consider switching genres. She is just fabulous at writing romantic comedy but I did wonder how incredible she’d be at writing thrillers too! She certainly had me holding my breath and clutching at my chest at more than one point.
I think that the subject matter of domestic abuse and how it affects a family, made this a rather poignant book as it was her normal beautifully written romantic comedy but with a great deal of seriousness thrown in too. This made for a fantastic read.
The characters were all very different but beautifully created as they completely complemented each other and I would have quite happily taken one of the spare bedrooms and moved into the big house myself. I wanted to be friends with these people who had Ayesha and Sabina's backs. I found myself willing Ayesha on to another life and was so happy that she had found a safe place to be herself in Hayden’s home.
Whenever I pick up a new book of Carole’s, a tiny part of me wonders how she can possibly continue to write fabulous stories and come up with wonderful and new ideas for her plots. But she NEVER lets me down and her books just get better and better. This one certainly was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.
I think that A Place To Call Home is the best book that Carole has ever written! Can’t wait for the next one!
May 7, 2015
I do love my Brit chick lit so it's no surprise that I really enjoyed this one. I rooted for Ayesha, Sabina, Joy, Hayden & Crystal the whole way through. I quite liked how each of their stories unfurled after first getting Ayesha's story. The cover pulled me in and the summary made this one a definite must read. I worried Ayesha's husband would find her. I hoped for Sabina's first words and wondered what those would be. I hoped Hayden got some help for his anxiety problems because no matter how nice the manse he lived in or how lovely the people who resided with him, I wanted him to get out into the wider world again after his terrible heartbreak. I thought Crystal was just a breath of fresh air even with her struggles and as soon as Joy's story of how she came to be living at the house was told, I had all kinds of sympathy and care for her, crankiness and all. I thought they were all endearing and I enjoyed reading about them. It's definitely the sort of book I'd recommend for travel or a long weekend if you're a chick lit or contemporary fiction fan. A satisfying read.
January 10, 2015
A Place to Call Home is a book about second chances. Although I enjoyed reading it I had some problems with it. My biggest problem was that the premise of the story felt completely implausible. It is almost a modern fairy tale; poor-abused woman meets tortured-millionaire hero… and of course, they find solace in each other’s arms.
My second problem was with the end, actually with the last quarter of the book. Heroine does something that pissed me off and hero accepts heroine’s decision as way of respecting her wishes, when he could have done things completely different and save each other weeks of pain. Also I didn’t like the easy way the “villain” was off from the story; it was too easy and too convenient.
This was my first book by Carole Matthews, but I don’t think it’ll be my last. I may give this author another chance.
My second problem was with the end, actually with the last quarter of the book. Heroine does something that pissed me off and hero accepts heroine’s decision as way of respecting her wishes, when he could have done things completely different and save each other weeks of pain. Also I didn’t like the easy way the “villain” was off from the story; it was too easy and too convenient.
This was my first book by Carole Matthews, but I don’t think it’ll be my last. I may give this author another chance.
June 2, 2014
I've read all of Carole's books so was looking forward to this one. It didn't disappoint. There was a real mixture of characters that seemed to work together and I enjoyed the different backgrounds and how they had all come together in one house. Okay so it was a bit predictable but that's okay. A very enjoyable read from one of my favourite authors.
August 11, 2014
just amazing....loved everything bout it......just buy it and read it...carole at her very best .x
February 18, 2018
I actually thought this would be chick-lit, since the cover is so icky, and I needed some light reading for a long distance flight. But it is SO much more, and I really, really enjoyed the reading experience.
The characters were vivid and alive and I found myself rooting for them. And the story is modern, believable and thought-provoking. What a lovely surprise! Try it - you’ll probably be delighted.
Thank you Leslie for recommending it. 😊
The characters were vivid and alive and I found myself rooting for them. And the story is modern, believable and thought-provoking. What a lovely surprise! Try it - you’ll probably be delighted.
Thank you Leslie for recommending it. 😊
August 26, 2023
3.5 stars rounded down. Oh what a waste, this book had such a good premise and I've read and loved several of Carole Matthews' other books, but this just wasn't to be. I hated Ayesha as a character, while I felt for her abuse at the hands of her husband, I felt that she was just inherently spoiled and playing the victim's card on one too many occasions, not to mention ungrateful for the help that she subsequently received, and this just spoiled the story for me. Pity, as I really did like spending time with Hayden, Joy and Crystal. More thoughts to follow.
July 26, 2025
I'm a big fan of Carole Matthews, but in my honest opinion, I found it difficult to get into it, slightly dark to what I normally experience from her books. It's a nice book but not one of her best books, I'm afraid.
March 20, 2019
Love this book! What a great bunch of characters !
May 11, 2021
Another new author for me. I have whizzed through this book. I found the storyline and the style of writing captivating.
May 31, 2022
Absolutely loved it, another fabulous book from Carole Matthews. Carole has a wonderful talent of drawing you into the story within a few pages. Loved following the story of Ayesha and Sabina.
April 1, 2024
Heartwarming story with some lovely characters!
January 1, 2025
I enjoyed this one even though it took me longer than usual to finish. I wasn’t sure whether to give it 3 or 4 stars but think it just wasn’t quite 4 star for me.
February 23, 2025
Zgodba o družinskem nasilju, novih priložnostih, prijateljstvu in ljubezni.
June 3, 2014
Carole Matthews has long been one of my favourite authors, but in recent years I haven’t kept up with her novels as much as I would have liked to, with my most recent Matthews read being Wrapped Up In You back in 2011. I don’t quite know why, beacause I do enjoy her books, I just felt like I needed a break; it’s happened with a few authors I used to devour – their books just didn’t have the same charm for me, which is weird. Perhaps it’s because I’ve grown up with their books, and I’d sort of had my fill, but I do still purchase all of Carole’s books, I just haven’t gotten around to reading them, so when I spotted her new one, A Place To Call Home, on Netgalley, I thought it sounded really, really great. Different, too. If I can say anything about a Carole Matthews book it’s that when she comes up with a unique plot (as many of her books have), she sticks with it and it really works. So I was very excited to dive in.
The most impressive thing I found about A Place To Call Home was the voice. Ayesha Rasheed is not like any other female character I have ever come across – she hails from Sri Lanka, she has found herself in such a violent marriage that is has turned her daughter, Sabina, into a selective mute, and she realises she’s had enough, and leaves in the dead of the night. You would normally attribute such a beginning to a crime novel, but no, this is how the new Carole Matthews book opens, and I have to say, it opened with quite a bang and, boy, did it capture my attention. I had absolutely no clue what kind of novel I had stumbled in to and I think the cover somewhat mis-sells it (although it is a BEAUTIFUL cover, and does sum up the novel, but it is very deceiving, I will say that). Matthews has written Ayesha in such a way that the voice is just so distinct, you can tell that it’s a person who doesn’t have English as their first language, but does have a great command of the language. You can just tell from Ayesha’s words how different a heroine she is and I immediately warmed to her, and her daughter, Sabina. It takes a lot of balls to leave a marriage like the one Ayesha leaves, and I was with her through the entire journey, silently rooting for her and waiting, with fear, for it all to fall apart.
But do you know what I really, really, really, really loved about A Place To Call Home? The bloody place Ayesha and Sabina do indeed end up calling home. Home to pop star Hayden Daniels, along with Crystal and Joy, two wayward strays who have found their way into Hayden’s heart and haven’t left. It’s totally my kind of house. As soon as Ayesha and Sabina walked up to the house, with it’s million rooms (most uninhabitable) and with the ever so friendly Crystal waiting to welcome them, and the way they just fit in immediately, I was sold. Booking a flight from Tenerife to this wonderful house in London, because I wanted to live there and help take care of them all. You know when a novel just seems to go exactly how you want it to? This is that novel. As soon as Ayesha and Sabina stepped foot into Hayden’s house, I knew that everything was going to be warm and rosy and lovely. I just got that feeling, and I loved that it seemed as if this rag-tag bunch of people had always lived together, like this. It was quite easy to forget all the tragedies that had befallen them all when they were all together, in the kitchen, sharing one of Ayesha’s meals. It truly was as if nothing else mattered, and that the house was indeed the most truly safe house you will ever step foot in.
I really, really enjoyed A Place To Call Home, it was one of the most delightful books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Whether it was wishing for Hayden to come more out of his shell, after what happened to him with Lauren, or whether it was hoping and praying today would be the day Sabina would talk, I never found myself bored or hoping the book would end. It really says a lot about the talent of the author when a kid who is mute, whose life revolves around head nods and shakes becomes one of your favourite characters, ever, and little Sabina captured my heart in the way no character has for a while. I was reading the novel hoping that there was some way, any way, that I could shield myself from what would inevitably be Ayesha’s husband’s revenge. Because there was still parts of the novel that I felt belonged in a crime book, but weren’t actually out of place because they were quite thrilling, they did rather get me all frightened and worried. This novel has put Carole right back on my map! It amazes me that after so many books, she can still pull off such a fascinating, well written, enjoyable novel with characters whom I adored dearly. This was a fantastic novel, and I am so bloody glad that I gave it a read, because I would have missed a pretty spectacular, edge-of-your-seat novel that also featured one of the greatest bunch of housemates you will ever meet.
The most impressive thing I found about A Place To Call Home was the voice. Ayesha Rasheed is not like any other female character I have ever come across – she hails from Sri Lanka, she has found herself in such a violent marriage that is has turned her daughter, Sabina, into a selective mute, and she realises she’s had enough, and leaves in the dead of the night. You would normally attribute such a beginning to a crime novel, but no, this is how the new Carole Matthews book opens, and I have to say, it opened with quite a bang and, boy, did it capture my attention. I had absolutely no clue what kind of novel I had stumbled in to and I think the cover somewhat mis-sells it (although it is a BEAUTIFUL cover, and does sum up the novel, but it is very deceiving, I will say that). Matthews has written Ayesha in such a way that the voice is just so distinct, you can tell that it’s a person who doesn’t have English as their first language, but does have a great command of the language. You can just tell from Ayesha’s words how different a heroine she is and I immediately warmed to her, and her daughter, Sabina. It takes a lot of balls to leave a marriage like the one Ayesha leaves, and I was with her through the entire journey, silently rooting for her and waiting, with fear, for it all to fall apart.
But do you know what I really, really, really, really loved about A Place To Call Home? The bloody place Ayesha and Sabina do indeed end up calling home. Home to pop star Hayden Daniels, along with Crystal and Joy, two wayward strays who have found their way into Hayden’s heart and haven’t left. It’s totally my kind of house. As soon as Ayesha and Sabina walked up to the house, with it’s million rooms (most uninhabitable) and with the ever so friendly Crystal waiting to welcome them, and the way they just fit in immediately, I was sold. Booking a flight from Tenerife to this wonderful house in London, because I wanted to live there and help take care of them all. You know when a novel just seems to go exactly how you want it to? This is that novel. As soon as Ayesha and Sabina stepped foot into Hayden’s house, I knew that everything was going to be warm and rosy and lovely. I just got that feeling, and I loved that it seemed as if this rag-tag bunch of people had always lived together, like this. It was quite easy to forget all the tragedies that had befallen them all when they were all together, in the kitchen, sharing one of Ayesha’s meals. It truly was as if nothing else mattered, and that the house was indeed the most truly safe house you will ever step foot in.
I really, really enjoyed A Place To Call Home, it was one of the most delightful books I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Whether it was wishing for Hayden to come more out of his shell, after what happened to him with Lauren, or whether it was hoping and praying today would be the day Sabina would talk, I never found myself bored or hoping the book would end. It really says a lot about the talent of the author when a kid who is mute, whose life revolves around head nods and shakes becomes one of your favourite characters, ever, and little Sabina captured my heart in the way no character has for a while. I was reading the novel hoping that there was some way, any way, that I could shield myself from what would inevitably be Ayesha’s husband’s revenge. Because there was still parts of the novel that I felt belonged in a crime book, but weren’t actually out of place because they were quite thrilling, they did rather get me all frightened and worried. This novel has put Carole right back on my map! It amazes me that after so many books, she can still pull off such a fascinating, well written, enjoyable novel with characters whom I adored dearly. This was a fantastic novel, and I am so bloody glad that I gave it a read, because I would have missed a pretty spectacular, edge-of-your-seat novel that also featured one of the greatest bunch of housemates you will ever meet.
April 12, 2024
I enjoyed how a group of people sharing a house supported each other in different ways.
January 1, 2017
Really enjoyed this book what I would call an easy read, the author kept you guessing and you were tempted to turn to the last page, Carole Matthews never ceases to come up with a story that includes laughs mystery and a touch of love which we all love.
June 13, 2014
In the middle of the night, Ayesha wakes her seven-year-old daughter Sabina and the pair creep from their home and board a coach for London, leaving Ayesha's husband and their old life behind. They're taken in by kind-hearted Crystal, who provides them with a safe place to stay while Ayesha sorts herself out.
Crystal lives with ex popstar Hayden, who has hidden himself away from the public eye for the past few years, and Joy, a retired woman who prefers the company of her plants to her housemates. Ayesha and Sabina's arrival shakes up the dynamic of the household and they strike up a bond with their saviours, but the threat of their old life catching up with them is never far behind.
I immediately felt for Ayesha as the book began and I learned about the horrific life she has been leading. I wanted her to escape and I was so glad when she found Crystal. Crystal is the complete opposite of Ayesha. She is loud, confident and brash but she is also caring and the pair strike up a lovely friendship. For me, Crystal stole the show. I loved how positive she is, despite all she has been through and I adored her relationship with little Sabina. I thought she was such a fun and vibrant character who showers her new friend with love and loyalty. I also grew to like Joy too. She's a bit prickly to start with, but she too proves to be kind and loyal.
I really enjoyed A Place To Call Home as it was full of fantastic characters and while it was a fun read, it was also an emotional one too that almost had me weeping on the bus (oh, the shame). I liked how each of the characters are struggling in some form or other but, together, they start to work through their problems and create a better life for themselves. They're an unlikely bunch of friends but it really worked for me and their admiration and respect for one another shines through - even when they are throwing jibes at each other!
Crystal lives with ex popstar Hayden, who has hidden himself away from the public eye for the past few years, and Joy, a retired woman who prefers the company of her plants to her housemates. Ayesha and Sabina's arrival shakes up the dynamic of the household and they strike up a bond with their saviours, but the threat of their old life catching up with them is never far behind.
I immediately felt for Ayesha as the book began and I learned about the horrific life she has been leading. I wanted her to escape and I was so glad when she found Crystal. Crystal is the complete opposite of Ayesha. She is loud, confident and brash but she is also caring and the pair strike up a lovely friendship. For me, Crystal stole the show. I loved how positive she is, despite all she has been through and I adored her relationship with little Sabina. I thought she was such a fun and vibrant character who showers her new friend with love and loyalty. I also grew to like Joy too. She's a bit prickly to start with, but she too proves to be kind and loyal.
I really enjoyed A Place To Call Home as it was full of fantastic characters and while it was a fun read, it was also an emotional one too that almost had me weeping on the bus (oh, the shame). I liked how each of the characters are struggling in some form or other but, together, they start to work through their problems and create a better life for themselves. They're an unlikely bunch of friends but it really worked for me and their admiration and respect for one another shines through - even when they are throwing jibes at each other!
October 25, 2018
Done! I feel happy to be over with this as much as i felt the writer wanting to just end it somehow. I usually love Carole Mathew's books, but this one...my views are as jammed and chaotic as bad traffic. I don't know...how can a life full of abuse and treachery just end in shower of cupcakes and rainbows that easily? If everything was so easy then what was the point of the difficultues at all?
The story was not the best; commendable? No
Super sweet? Yesss!
But overall this book seemed like a huge understatement on the serious issues that were addressed.
The husband abuses her? No problemo, she runs away in the dead of the night.
She's homeless? No issues! We got a handsome singer waiting for two years just for her!
Her husband sends his accomplices to kidnap her and her daughter? Don't fuss, we got that covered! We have a gang of a housewife, a manicurist and an old lady to bash the burly, gangly, macho abductors with spades and plant-pots and buntings! Easy peasy!
These moments were actually hilarious. A distressing scene becomes funny just because its over on the drama part.
What i appreciated was the how the writing style conveyed each characters personality. The chapters from Ayesha's (our main protagonist) POV were written in the simplest wordings which truely conveyed how much she felt left nehind and how much she had missed of her life and the world. It illustrated her simplicity really well. And her language improved as she improved herself and opened to the world from her previous imprisonment. Sabrina, Ayesha's daughter was also a delightful character who found her voice once more from her distress-caused muteness. My favourite character was Joy, the old woman. I loved her disposition, her tranquil, her willpower and her strength. She finally overcomes her fears of foreign foods and international journeys...which is nice i suppose.
All in all, this book was a nice past time. Im not going to look at it again.
Age rating:15+
The story was not the best; commendable? No
Super sweet? Yesss!
But overall this book seemed like a huge understatement on the serious issues that were addressed.
The husband abuses her? No problemo, she runs away in the dead of the night.
She's homeless? No issues! We got a handsome singer waiting for two years just for her!
Her husband sends his accomplices to kidnap her and her daughter? Don't fuss, we got that covered! We have a gang of a housewife, a manicurist and an old lady to bash the burly, gangly, macho abductors with spades and plant-pots and buntings! Easy peasy!
These moments were actually hilarious. A distressing scene becomes funny just because its over on the drama part.
What i appreciated was the how the writing style conveyed each characters personality. The chapters from Ayesha's (our main protagonist) POV were written in the simplest wordings which truely conveyed how much she felt left nehind and how much she had missed of her life and the world. It illustrated her simplicity really well. And her language improved as she improved herself and opened to the world from her previous imprisonment. Sabrina, Ayesha's daughter was also a delightful character who found her voice once more from her distress-caused muteness. My favourite character was Joy, the old woman. I loved her disposition, her tranquil, her willpower and her strength. She finally overcomes her fears of foreign foods and international journeys...which is nice i suppose.
All in all, this book was a nice past time. Im not going to look at it again.
Age rating:15+
April 16, 2014
The last book by Carole that I reviewed was Calling Mrs Christmas – my Christmas book of the year, and I still think it’s a travesty of justice that it didn’t make the final cut for Romantic Novel of the Year. This one is rather different, a teeny bit darker in its theme, but every bit as enchanting.
Ayesha and her daughter Sabina – who hasn’t spoken in some time, because of the violence she’s witnessed at home – find refuge with a most unusual household. Hayden is a former pop star who became a recluse after problems with the spotlight and a personal tragedy. Crystal is a totally over-the-top tart with a heart, demeaning herself for money after a rough life has taken away her self- respect. Joy is initially an old curmudgeon – but became one of my favourites by the end. Together they become a formidable force, supporting each other when trouble seeks them out.
I loved this book. Initially I did wonder whether I’d like the characters – particularly OTT Crystal – but they all find their way to your heart. It’s a book that makes you laugh, gasp and cry – and something a little different from the usual boy-meets-girl, never too heavy despite the domestic violence theme, but makes you think about the issues. Carole, you’re wonderful – and can you give me Hayden’s address so I can move in too please?
Ayesha and her daughter Sabina – who hasn’t spoken in some time, because of the violence she’s witnessed at home – find refuge with a most unusual household. Hayden is a former pop star who became a recluse after problems with the spotlight and a personal tragedy. Crystal is a totally over-the-top tart with a heart, demeaning herself for money after a rough life has taken away her self- respect. Joy is initially an old curmudgeon – but became one of my favourites by the end. Together they become a formidable force, supporting each other when trouble seeks them out.
I loved this book. Initially I did wonder whether I’d like the characters – particularly OTT Crystal – but they all find their way to your heart. It’s a book that makes you laugh, gasp and cry – and something a little different from the usual boy-meets-girl, never too heavy despite the domestic violence theme, but makes you think about the issues. Carole, you’re wonderful – and can you give me Hayden’s address so I can move in too please?
January 1, 2014
I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this book and I absolutely loved it. I've read all of Carole's books and I honestly think that they just get better and better.
This book is about a lovely lady called Ayesha and her daughter Sabina. One night Ayesha decides she has had enough of the abuse her husband metes out and decides to take her daughter and find somewhere safe for them to live. In the book we follow them on their journey and the characters they meet are very real. Hayden, the former pop star who becomes a recluse after a heartbreaking tragedy, Crystal, making her living the only way she thinks she can after a traumatic past and Joy, a sad and lonely old woman who is fiercely proud, very conservative and misses her family like crazy.
They all help each other to reach peace and happiness. There are some surprising incidents in the book and I love the way Carole weaves real events into her fiction.
This book tugs at your emotions and you feel you know the characters. I was very sorry to come to the end of this book as I didn't want to leave these people!
Fantastic book that I highly recommend.
This book is about a lovely lady called Ayesha and her daughter Sabina. One night Ayesha decides she has had enough of the abuse her husband metes out and decides to take her daughter and find somewhere safe for them to live. In the book we follow them on their journey and the characters they meet are very real. Hayden, the former pop star who becomes a recluse after a heartbreaking tragedy, Crystal, making her living the only way she thinks she can after a traumatic past and Joy, a sad and lonely old woman who is fiercely proud, very conservative and misses her family like crazy.
They all help each other to reach peace and happiness. There are some surprising incidents in the book and I love the way Carole weaves real events into her fiction.
This book tugs at your emotions and you feel you know the characters. I was very sorry to come to the end of this book as I didn't want to leave these people!
Fantastic book that I highly recommend.
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