What do you think?
Rate this book
The Girl With Nowhere To Go
Not yet published
Expected 28 Jan 26In your own darkest hour, would you help a child in need?
When a teenage girl with haunted eyes enters Bec’s world, she stirs something in Bec she thought she’d buried long ago.
Still reeling from the loss of her husband, Bec is barely keeping her life together. But there’s something about Skye, motherless, wary and alone, that reaches into the shadows of Bec’s past. Twenty years ago, she was that lost girl, grieving her twin brother and cut off from her parents after one terrible night. Now, with the threat of those same parents re-entering her life, Bec makes an impulsive decision: she offers Skye food, shelter and the promise of help.
When Bec’s search for help brings Anna into their world, the connection feels almost fated. Anna has demons of her own. A past she’s fought to bury and a brother’s name she’s desperate to clear.
Both women believe they know what’s best for Skye. But as past and present collide, each will be forced to face truths they thought they’d left behind.
A completely heartbreaking family drama, like nothing you’ve ever read before! Order now!
When a teenage girl with haunted eyes enters Bec’s world, she stirs something in Bec she thought she’d buried long ago.
Still reeling from the loss of her husband, Bec is barely keeping her life together. But there’s something about Skye, motherless, wary and alone, that reaches into the shadows of Bec’s past. Twenty years ago, she was that lost girl, grieving her twin brother and cut off from her parents after one terrible night. Now, with the threat of those same parents re-entering her life, Bec makes an impulsive decision: she offers Skye food, shelter and the promise of help.
When Bec’s search for help brings Anna into their world, the connection feels almost fated. Anna has demons of her own. A past she’s fought to bury and a brother’s name she’s desperate to clear.
Both women believe they know what’s best for Skye. But as past and present collide, each will be forced to face truths they thought they’d left behind.
A completely heartbreaking family drama, like nothing you’ve ever read before! Order now!
- GenresContemporary
358 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 28, 2026
5 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Louise Guy
31 books50 followersLouise Guy, bestselling author of six novels, blends family and friendship themes with unique twists and intrigue. Her characters captivate readers, drawing them deeply into their compelling stories and struggles. Previously published by Lake Union, she lives in Australia. Her latest book My Sister's Baby is published in 2024.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 1, 2026
As I write this review, I have not decided yet how to rate it.
Basic premise: 2 different families bond over a similar, life altering loss; but many years after that loss. And, added to the mix is a 16 year old girl who has just lost her mother.
The good: this reads very quickly and the reader develops empathy for the characters. The storyline is interesting. It is obvious that something is building which is not revealed until close to the end of the book.
The not-so-good: there are relationships/bonds in the story that develop too quickly. Too quickly in my mind to be natural. There are too many life coincidences to make it believable. I always say that a book doesn’t have to be realistic in order for me to enjoy it and to be entertained by it. But, these come close to pushing me over the line. In fact, I found the coincidences somewhat predictable.
Having said this, I kept turning pages because I wanted to learn how everything would play out. Because of the points mentioned above, I am dropping a point off my rating. The story has lots of potential, but, it wasn’t quite a winner for me.
The subject matter is quite heavy. Several trigger warnings: death, suicide, drug overdose.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
Basic premise: 2 different families bond over a similar, life altering loss; but many years after that loss. And, added to the mix is a 16 year old girl who has just lost her mother.
The good: this reads very quickly and the reader develops empathy for the characters. The storyline is interesting. It is obvious that something is building which is not revealed until close to the end of the book.
The not-so-good: there are relationships/bonds in the story that develop too quickly. Too quickly in my mind to be natural. There are too many life coincidences to make it believable. I always say that a book doesn’t have to be realistic in order for me to enjoy it and to be entertained by it. But, these come close to pushing me over the line. In fact, I found the coincidences somewhat predictable.
Having said this, I kept turning pages because I wanted to learn how everything would play out. Because of the points mentioned above, I am dropping a point off my rating. The story has lots of potential, but, it wasn’t quite a winner for me.
The subject matter is quite heavy. Several trigger warnings: death, suicide, drug overdose.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was my first book by this author, and I have to admit she had me hooked from the very first pages.
I love reading thrillers, but I also regularly make time for this genre. These are emotional stories that still contain an element of suspense, giving the narrative an extra punch.
I was completely drawn into the emotions surrounding the situations involving Anna and her family, as well as Bec, her family, and Skye. I have personally experienced the loss of someone I was never able to say goodbye to, and I can very easily imagine how these characters must feel.
It’s true that people often say time heals all wounds, and to some extent that may be true—but there isn’t a single day when you don’t miss them or think about them. Would it have been “easier” if a proper goodbye had been possible? Who knows. Maybe yes, maybe not.
Many of the tragic events in this story happened when the characters were still young, and in my opinion that makes the impact even greater.
It is such a comfort to meet people who are kindred spirits, because it’s incredibly hard to explain these feelings to those who haven’t experienced them themselves—and just as hard for them to truly understand. Many people say that after a certain amount of time you should be “done” grieving, but who are they to decide that? Everyone has to find their own way through it.
This book brings so many emotions to the surface, and I was glad to see that some characters—although far too late—finally realize what they did wrong. So much pain could have been avoided if they had faced the truth instead of acting out of egoism.
I felt the author created a wonderful setup with characters who earned my sympathy, while others I would have loved to give a serious talking-to.
This author has definitely gained a new fan, and I won’t hesitate to pick up more of her books.
5 stars
Thank you
I love reading thrillers, but I also regularly make time for this genre. These are emotional stories that still contain an element of suspense, giving the narrative an extra punch.
I was completely drawn into the emotions surrounding the situations involving Anna and her family, as well as Bec, her family, and Skye. I have personally experienced the loss of someone I was never able to say goodbye to, and I can very easily imagine how these characters must feel.
It’s true that people often say time heals all wounds, and to some extent that may be true—but there isn’t a single day when you don’t miss them or think about them. Would it have been “easier” if a proper goodbye had been possible? Who knows. Maybe yes, maybe not.
Many of the tragic events in this story happened when the characters were still young, and in my opinion that makes the impact even greater.
It is such a comfort to meet people who are kindred spirits, because it’s incredibly hard to explain these feelings to those who haven’t experienced them themselves—and just as hard for them to truly understand. Many people say that after a certain amount of time you should be “done” grieving, but who are they to decide that? Everyone has to find their own way through it.
This book brings so many emotions to the surface, and I was glad to see that some characters—although far too late—finally realize what they did wrong. So much pain could have been avoided if they had faced the truth instead of acting out of egoism.
I felt the author created a wonderful setup with characters who earned my sympathy, while others I would have loved to give a serious talking-to.
This author has definitely gained a new fan, and I won’t hesitate to pick up more of her books.
5 stars
Thank you
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow what a great storyline that captured my attention from the very first chapter. All the characters in the book are heartwarming and not hard to see family dramas can happen in all different ways.
Anna has lost a brother in an accident but it all just became a closed book for her. Then we have Bec who also lost her brother who was her twin but also lost her boyfriend who could not handle losing his friend that died. Bec blames her parents for not helping her twin when needed so moves well away from them and is estranged from them.
She marries Owen and live in Sydney and had twins of a boy and girl who have been her strength since Owen died.
As I was reading, the storyline with so much family dramas happening, I could not work out the end of how everything was going to pan out. Bec and her kids moved back to Melbourne and Bec's daughter is insistent on trying to work out why Bec never talks about her parents or sees them. She decided to do her own searching of finding her grandparents as she wants a bigger family.
Then there is another character that you really warm to, 16-year-old Skye. Her mum had cancer and would not tell her only daughter that she is dying but had made plans for her good friend to take her in and look after her. Unfortunately, that friend could not be contacted when Skye's mum died so she was placed in foster care until Bec through her work meets Skye and sees herself in her twenty years ago. Bec takes Skye to a place that helps other people with problems and it is there we are introduced to Anna.
Anna takes Skye in as she was living on the streets until she can find a foster family that she could live with. Due to this happening Anna and Bec becomes great friends and Skye becomes friend's with Bec's two kids as they are the same age plus born on the same day.
So many twists and turns this book that will capture your attention. I found the book so well written and it was hard to put it down. Absolutely love the cover as it depicts Skye.
I would highly recommend reading this story. It has everything to capture your attention and is a real page turner. Just absolutely loved the storyline from start to finish.
Anna has lost a brother in an accident but it all just became a closed book for her. Then we have Bec who also lost her brother who was her twin but also lost her boyfriend who could not handle losing his friend that died. Bec blames her parents for not helping her twin when needed so moves well away from them and is estranged from them.
She marries Owen and live in Sydney and had twins of a boy and girl who have been her strength since Owen died.
As I was reading, the storyline with so much family dramas happening, I could not work out the end of how everything was going to pan out. Bec and her kids moved back to Melbourne and Bec's daughter is insistent on trying to work out why Bec never talks about her parents or sees them. She decided to do her own searching of finding her grandparents as she wants a bigger family.
Then there is another character that you really warm to, 16-year-old Skye. Her mum had cancer and would not tell her only daughter that she is dying but had made plans for her good friend to take her in and look after her. Unfortunately, that friend could not be contacted when Skye's mum died so she was placed in foster care until Bec through her work meets Skye and sees herself in her twenty years ago. Bec takes Skye to a place that helps other people with problems and it is there we are introduced to Anna.
Anna takes Skye in as she was living on the streets until she can find a foster family that she could live with. Due to this happening Anna and Bec becomes great friends and Skye becomes friend's with Bec's two kids as they are the same age plus born on the same day.
So many twists and turns this book that will capture your attention. I found the book so well written and it was hard to put it down. Absolutely love the cover as it depicts Skye.
I would highly recommend reading this story. It has everything to capture your attention and is a real page turner. Just absolutely loved the storyline from start to finish.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
After Bec Sampson's husband Owen passes away, she and her kids moved back to Melbourne, Bec’s the mother of sixteen year old twins Hugo and Zara. Her business Reclaim helps people in trouble or down on their luck, Skye arrives one morning because she ran away from her foster home, she’s scared, wary and alone. Twenty years ago, Bec was that lost girl, grieving the death of her twin brother, estranged from her parents and she hasn’t seen them since. Zara doesn’t believe her mum that she has no family, she starts snooping and Bec's not happy about it.
Anna Morrison runs the Hopefield Support Centre, they provide assistance and counselling to people who have lost loves one or been through a traumatic experience. Anna's brother was killed in a car accident twenty years ago, and her mum who has dementia and is living in an aged care home and she knows firsthand how challenging life can be. Anna offers Skye a place to stay, but she only does short term foster care and she feels it would be better for her if to be with a family. Bec and Anna become friends, the teenagers have a lot in common and start hanging out and this starts the healing process for all of them and then it gets complicated.
I received a copy of The Girl with Nowhere To Go by Louise Guy from NetGalley and Boldwood Books in exchange for an honest review. The past and the present collide, for each of the main characters they have to face painful facts about what happened years ago, and especially Bec and her estranged parents.
Ms Guy writes stories about tough times, but she does this with tact and the reader is drawn into the narrative and I always feel an emotional attachment to the characters, including Bec, Hugo, Zara, Anna, Skye, Marty, Samara, Smoko and Lammy.
I recently lost a close family member, this novel helped me understand that grief has many stages and people handle it very differently, but it also points out life goes on, it's fine to move forward and have fun and five stars from me and I highly recommend.
Anna Morrison runs the Hopefield Support Centre, they provide assistance and counselling to people who have lost loves one or been through a traumatic experience. Anna's brother was killed in a car accident twenty years ago, and her mum who has dementia and is living in an aged care home and she knows firsthand how challenging life can be. Anna offers Skye a place to stay, but she only does short term foster care and she feels it would be better for her if to be with a family. Bec and Anna become friends, the teenagers have a lot in common and start hanging out and this starts the healing process for all of them and then it gets complicated.
I received a copy of The Girl with Nowhere To Go by Louise Guy from NetGalley and Boldwood Books in exchange for an honest review. The past and the present collide, for each of the main characters they have to face painful facts about what happened years ago, and especially Bec and her estranged parents.
Ms Guy writes stories about tough times, but she does this with tact and the reader is drawn into the narrative and I always feel an emotional attachment to the characters, including Bec, Hugo, Zara, Anna, Skye, Marty, Samara, Smoko and Lammy.
I recently lost a close family member, this novel helped me understand that grief has many stages and people handle it very differently, but it also points out life goes on, it's fine to move forward and have fun and five stars from me and I highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rebecca (Bec) Sampson had moved from Sydney to Melbourne with her sixteen year old twins, Zara & Hugo, when her husband and their father, Owen, unexpectedly passed away. They'd run a business in both cities, so returning to the Melbourne business made good sense as Owen's business partner, and friend, Damien, was in Melbourne. Running services to help people reintegrate into society, those who needed help to get on track, brought Skye to Bec's door. Sixteen year old Skye had recently lost her mother to cancer, and she'd run away from the foster home she was in, bringing her to the notice of the police. Bec was rocked by what had happened to Skye: she felt it was her when she was the same age, and what had happened with her family.
Anna came into Bec's orbit, running Echoes which helped people deal with grief. Between the two of them, they sought to help Skye. And Zara & Hugo felt an immediate affinity with Skye as well. Bec & Anna also had connections from the distant past, which gradually came to the fore. Would they find the answers they sought from events in the past which would give them closure? And would they find somewhere for Skye to live that would keep her safe?
The Girl With Nowhere To Go is another exceptional read by Aussie author Louise Guy which I loved, and had trouble putting down. A well written novel, with really great characters; people I felt I'd known for ages. I love Louise's stories, and have read every standalone she's written (I wasn't aware she has a couple of series!) Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for my digital ARC to read and review.
Anna came into Bec's orbit, running Echoes which helped people deal with grief. Between the two of them, they sought to help Skye. And Zara & Hugo felt an immediate affinity with Skye as well. Bec & Anna also had connections from the distant past, which gradually came to the fore. Would they find the answers they sought from events in the past which would give them closure? And would they find somewhere for Skye to live that would keep her safe?
The Girl With Nowhere To Go is another exceptional read by Aussie author Louise Guy which I loved, and had trouble putting down. A well written novel, with really great characters; people I felt I'd known for ages. I love Louise's stories, and have read every standalone she's written (I wasn't aware she has a couple of series!) Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for my digital ARC to read and review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Girl with Nowhere to Go by Louise Guy is a heartbreaking family drama filled with love, loss, second chances and found families and if you are in need of a book to remind you of the good in people this would be just the one to pick up.
Bec and her teenage children moved to Melbourne following the sudden death of her husband and while she is doing her best to keep it all together , she is hanging by a thread, one that threatens to snap if her daughter keeps questioning her about the parents she cut contact with before her children were even born. In spite of all this when she encounters a young teenage girl named Skye at a diversion programme she runs , it stirs something inside her. Slowly and carefully she convinces Skye to open up and learns that she lost her mother only months before and has run away from foster care. Looking for someone to help Skye brings Anna into both their lives, and a strong friendship quickly forms between Bec and Anna, but Anna has a troubled past of her own and when that past and the present collide it could destroy everything.
This book is a beautiful exploration of grief and loss, one that will surely resonate with many readers. It is honest about the winding path that people travel on their grieving journeys and how the sorrow and anger can be overwhelming at times. The overwhelming message is one of hope however, lest readers are reluctant to pick up what might seem like a heavy read. There are some attempted plot twists but to be honest they did not surprise me at all, they were well telegraphed before the reveal, but that did not lessen my enjoyment of the book overall.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Bec and her teenage children moved to Melbourne following the sudden death of her husband and while she is doing her best to keep it all together , she is hanging by a thread, one that threatens to snap if her daughter keeps questioning her about the parents she cut contact with before her children were even born. In spite of all this when she encounters a young teenage girl named Skye at a diversion programme she runs , it stirs something inside her. Slowly and carefully she convinces Skye to open up and learns that she lost her mother only months before and has run away from foster care. Looking for someone to help Skye brings Anna into both their lives, and a strong friendship quickly forms between Bec and Anna, but Anna has a troubled past of her own and when that past and the present collide it could destroy everything.
This book is a beautiful exploration of grief and loss, one that will surely resonate with many readers. It is honest about the winding path that people travel on their grieving journeys and how the sorrow and anger can be overwhelming at times. The overwhelming message is one of hope however, lest readers are reluctant to pick up what might seem like a heavy read. There are some attempted plot twists but to be honest they did not surprise me at all, they were well telegraphed before the reveal, but that did not lessen my enjoyment of the book overall.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
First, I want to thank Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I could bring you this review.
WOW!! It has been a while since I had read a Louise Guy book and figured it was way overdue to read another one. A girl can only read so many psychological thrillers before she goes a little batty-ya know. However, I remembered Louise’s books were emotional but dang The Girl With Nowhere To Go pulled hard on my heart strings and had me in tears multiple times. A select few authors pull out that emotion in me and she is now on that list.
The graphic artists that designed the book cover did a beautiful job on the cover of the book.
Louise, you really know how to pull on my heart strings in your prologue!!! I was ready to jump into the book and give Jodi and big ol hug!!! Seriously!! One minute updating her will and the next minute we are hit with the news that she has Stage IV triple-negative breast cancer that has already spread to her liver and bones!! Here we are just meeting this character and we get this mind blowing uttering news!!! I was just speechless. What an incredible hook into your book!!
I enjoyed reading about the art therapy classes as I totally agree that it can help process pain, rebuild confidence and reclaim parts of them that were lost. I know that painting has been a very therapeutic outlet for me since my Dad has passed.
Louise intertwined so many powerful topics, issues and messages in this that many readers will gravitate towards. It is a beautifully written book with a lot of heart to it.
WOW!! It has been a while since I had read a Louise Guy book and figured it was way overdue to read another one. A girl can only read so many psychological thrillers before she goes a little batty-ya know. However, I remembered Louise’s books were emotional but dang The Girl With Nowhere To Go pulled hard on my heart strings and had me in tears multiple times. A select few authors pull out that emotion in me and she is now on that list.
The graphic artists that designed the book cover did a beautiful job on the cover of the book.
Louise, you really know how to pull on my heart strings in your prologue!!! I was ready to jump into the book and give Jodi and big ol hug!!! Seriously!! One minute updating her will and the next minute we are hit with the news that she has Stage IV triple-negative breast cancer that has already spread to her liver and bones!! Here we are just meeting this character and we get this mind blowing uttering news!!! I was just speechless. What an incredible hook into your book!!
I enjoyed reading about the art therapy classes as I totally agree that it can help process pain, rebuild confidence and reclaim parts of them that were lost. I know that painting has been a very therapeutic outlet for me since my Dad has passed.
Louise intertwined so many powerful topics, issues and messages in this that many readers will gravitate towards. It is a beautifully written book with a lot of heart to it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When a teenage girl with haunted eyes enters Bec's world, she stirs something in Bec she thought she'd buried long ago. Still reeling from the loss of her husband, Bec is barely keeping her life together. But there's something about Skye, motherless, wary, and alone, that reaches into the shadows of Bec's past. Twenty years ago, she was that lost girl, grieving hher twin brother and cut off from her parents after a terrible night. Now, with the thought of those same parents re-entering her life, Bec makes an impulsive of food, shelter and a promise of help. When Bec's search for help brings Anna into their world, the connection feels almost faked. Anna has demons of her own. But both women believe they know what's right for Skye.
This is quite an emotional read about love, loss and second chances. Bec had recently ost her husband. Her daughter keeps asking about he grandparents she's never met. Skye lost her mother a few months ago and has run away from foster care. Anna has her own troubled past, but together with Bec, they think they know what's best for Skye.
Have the tissues handy, you're going to need them.
Published 28th January 2026
I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #LouiseGuy for my ARC of #TheGirlWithNowhereToGo in exchange for an honest review.
This is quite an emotional read about love, loss and second chances. Bec had recently ost her husband. Her daughter keeps asking about he grandparents she's never met. Skye lost her mother a few months ago and has run away from foster care. Anna has her own troubled past, but together with Bec, they think they know what's best for Skye.
Have the tissues handy, you're going to need them.
Published 28th January 2026
I would like to thank #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks and the author #LouiseGuy for my ARC of #TheGirlWithNowhereToGo in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Louise Guy knows how to tug at the heartstrings and is able to write an emotional family drama which also has a touch of suspense and intrigue. 'The Girl With Nowhere To Go' is among her best. I was fully invested in the characters by the end of the first page, Thoughtful, compassionate writing, this is a winner for me.
Distressed by the loss of her mother, and with no other family, teenage Skye finds herself alone. Placed with foster families who are more interested in using her to babysit their own children she is lost and desperate. Bec, the mother of teenage twins, is still grieving the death of her husband when she meets Skye. Bec has a business which supports people who are in trouble, and young people who may otherwise end up in the criminal justice system. Skye has been placed on one of Bec's courses. Bec is drawn to Skye and offers her food and support outside of the course. This leads her to Anna who runs a counselling centre for those who have lost loved ones through a traumatic event. Bec and Anna forge a bond through their own past experiences.
A beautiful book about loss, grief and the power of friendship. Whilst heartbreakingly sad, it is a tale of hope and truth. There is no disguising the often overwhelming navigation through grief however the author writes with such sensitivity it is not an uncomfortable read.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my advanced reader copy in return for my honest and unbiased review
Distressed by the loss of her mother, and with no other family, teenage Skye finds herself alone. Placed with foster families who are more interested in using her to babysit their own children she is lost and desperate. Bec, the mother of teenage twins, is still grieving the death of her husband when she meets Skye. Bec has a business which supports people who are in trouble, and young people who may otherwise end up in the criminal justice system. Skye has been placed on one of Bec's courses. Bec is drawn to Skye and offers her food and support outside of the course. This leads her to Anna who runs a counselling centre for those who have lost loved ones through a traumatic event. Bec and Anna forge a bond through their own past experiences.
A beautiful book about loss, grief and the power of friendship. Whilst heartbreakingly sad, it is a tale of hope and truth. There is no disguising the often overwhelming navigation through grief however the author writes with such sensitivity it is not an uncomfortable read.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my advanced reader copy in return for my honest and unbiased review
January 21, 2026
The Girl With Nowhere To Go was raw, heartbreaking, emotional and uplifting all at once. I was hooked from the first page and didn’t want to put it down.
The narrative revolves around Skye, Bec and her twins, and Anna. Skye is a recently orphaned 16 year old who gets herself into trouble stealing food and is constantly running away from foster homes. Bec runs a company that helps people rebuild their lives after prison, and Skye is sent there following a short stint in detention. Bec has 16 year old twins, Hugo and Zara, and the three of them are still struggling with the death of Owen, their husband and father. Anna runs a grief support group through the company she works for, and Bec and Skye meet her after attending one of the sessions. Anna has challenges of her own, and a deeply personal reason for starting the group.
All of the main characters have experienced the death of someone close to them and continue to struggle with grief, regardless of whether those losses occurred recently or more than twenty years ago. The story provides flashbacks in time, gradually revealing how these loved ones died. There are many tough themes in the book, but they are handled with care and sensitivity.
Some of the events felt a little too coincidental to be entirely realistic, but this didn’t take away from the story for me. I still felt all the emotions.
After reading Louise Guy’s Crafters series with my son, this was my first time reading one of her adult novels — and I’ll definitely be checking out more from her back catalogue.
The narrative revolves around Skye, Bec and her twins, and Anna. Skye is a recently orphaned 16 year old who gets herself into trouble stealing food and is constantly running away from foster homes. Bec runs a company that helps people rebuild their lives after prison, and Skye is sent there following a short stint in detention. Bec has 16 year old twins, Hugo and Zara, and the three of them are still struggling with the death of Owen, their husband and father. Anna runs a grief support group through the company she works for, and Bec and Skye meet her after attending one of the sessions. Anna has challenges of her own, and a deeply personal reason for starting the group.
All of the main characters have experienced the death of someone close to them and continue to struggle with grief, regardless of whether those losses occurred recently or more than twenty years ago. The story provides flashbacks in time, gradually revealing how these loved ones died. There are many tough themes in the book, but they are handled with care and sensitivity.
Some of the events felt a little too coincidental to be entirely realistic, but this didn’t take away from the story for me. I still felt all the emotions.
After reading Louise Guy’s Crafters series with my son, this was my first time reading one of her adult novels — and I’ll definitely be checking out more from her back catalogue.
January 19, 2026
Once again Louise Guy brings us a gripping family drama involving a young girl whose mother has passed. Skye is devastated when her mother passes away and finds herself needing a home as she is at risk of going down the wrong track of life. Anna runs a support service for people needing to get back on their feet and Skye ends up there. Anna is unable to find a foster family to take her in at short notice so looks after her until she can. Meanwhile Bec has moved back to Melbourne from Sydney with her two children after the loss of her husband, she has lost contact with her parents for many years after her brother died. Anna and Bec together are suffering from losses in their lives and as the novel progresses we learn the two women's points of view.
Louise is such a good storyteller and I read this book rather quickly especially the last 100 pages where all was revealed in such a clever and unexpected way. It was nice that it was set in Melbourne too, where you knew the locations depicted.
This book is recommended for readers of Women's Fiction and I can't praise it any higher than I already have. 5*
Louise is such a good storyteller and I read this book rather quickly especially the last 100 pages where all was revealed in such a clever and unexpected way. It was nice that it was set in Melbourne too, where you knew the locations depicted.
This book is recommended for readers of Women's Fiction and I can't praise it any higher than I already have. 5*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was a little heavy, dealing with loss and grief. There is a teenager who has lost her mother. She is temporarily taken in by Anna as a foster child. There is also Becca who has lost her husband and her twin teenagers. The two women and the teenagers become friends through a support group for grief. Along with the grief is the laughter and drama of teens, and the finding of friends and family and the love and support it offers.
The book has some mystery and suspense that really kept me into the story. The author did a fantastic job of blending the different aspects of the story. A pleasure to read! Definitely going to read more by this author!
Thanks to Boldwood Books for the digital copy via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
The book has some mystery and suspense that really kept me into the story. The author did a fantastic job of blending the different aspects of the story. A pleasure to read! Definitely going to read more by this author!
Thanks to Boldwood Books for the digital copy via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A truly heartwarming story about loss, grief and the things we will do to protect our family. Skye is homeless due to her mother’s death. Bec's husband has died and she has family issues. Anna is a grief counsellor having had plenty of grief in her life. As their interactions cross they become attached, stories come out and they are linked in incredible ways. This was a beautiful exploration of family, sadness, coverups and dealing with adversity, yet finding love and friendship along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope to read more of this author. Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for bringing this writer to my attention.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I always enjoy Louise Guy’s books. I feel the characters she portrays are real and can imagine meeting them in my life. Occasionally some stories are a little too saccharine for me and this one was just borderline in this instance but was saved by the characters and storyline, even if the coincidences were many! It read very easily and fast which is great for a holiday read, despite containing some heavy subjects like suicide, death and loss.
A satisfying read, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read
A satisfying read, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Girl with Nowhere to Go is a sad and poignant novel. It’s a beautifully written family drama with fully developed characters. It shows how one decision can change the path of many lives. The story is about honesty, friendship, compassion, and growth.
Warning: it deals with drug addiction, suicide, death, and the foster system.
Add to your TBR 2026
4.5 ⭐️
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Warning: it deals with drug addiction, suicide, death, and the foster system.
Add to your TBR 2026
4.5 ⭐️
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received a free copy of, The Girl With Nowhere To Go, by Louise Guy, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Bec is deep in grief, from the loss of her husband. Skye is an orphan, who meets Bec. This was a heavy read, secrets and lies in this family. I did not like Anna at all. I dont know if I liked this book though, it was a bit too heavy for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A great author this book was excellent, brilliant storytelling, good characters who I felt I got to know and just loved it from the beginning until the end.
I have no hesitation in recommending this book.
I have no hesitation in recommending this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
RTC
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews