Anywhere but Here

by Vicki Notaro

‘Lovely on friendship and so much fun … Vicki is a powerhouse’ Marian Keyes

‘Warm and witty, this is a story about life’s wobbles – and wins – and the firm friendships that help you through’ Cecelia Ahern

‘A warm and compassionate look at friendship, identity, and the unexpected turns life can take.’ Louise O’Neill

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Three friends at life-changing crossroads . . .

Living the presenting breakfast TV in Dublin and married to a man with a mega media career in the UK. But when she turns up in their London flat to surprise him for his birthday, it’s she who gets a shock.

Clinging to her journalism career because, apart from a snooty dog, it’s all she has. Her house is falling apart, her romantic life is just as ramshackle and nasty flashbacks to her past are becoming more than just a nuisance.


The one who was sorted early - married a lovely man, had two gorgeous babies. But with a distant husband and teenage twins who think she’s cringe, nothing she believed about herself makes sense any more.

Matilda, Sadie and Jess take off to Donegal to do some serious soul-searching. But maybe the answers to their problems lie closer to home?

Anywhere But Here is a warm, funny and page-turning novel about finding out what makes you happy when you thought you had it all figured out.

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'Lifts the lid on the challenges women face in midlife, from marriage to friendship to career. Full of wit and wisdom with one liners guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.' Sarah Breen

‘Laugh out loud funny, brilliantly observed, utterly relatable – her best book yet!’ Andrea Mara

‘Full of Vicki's trademark glamour, gossip and true grit. A novel with lots of heart and empathy.’ Sheila O’Flanagan

‘Pure pleasure. Smart, funny, bittersweet and full of heart.’ Edel Coffey

‘A classy, clever page-turner from the brilliant Vicki Notaro’ Cathy Kelly

‘A story that feels both escapist and emotionally true. The friendships are authentic, the romance is beautifully drawn and the journey of self-discovery feels honest. A novel that is full of heart.’ Tanya Sweeney

‘Vicki’s best book to date, another page-turner! Great characters, strong story and fabulous style! I love all Vicki’s books!’ Katriona O’Sullivan

‘Sharp, engaging and beach-bag ready, this is one to lose yourself in this summer’ Image magazine

‘A joy! Utterly absorbing fun from start to finish. A laugh-filled, highly entertaining read’ Jo Spain

'Funny, relatable, touching. The perfect balance of heart and humour' Carmel Harrington

‘The Queen of glitz, glam and heartbreak does it again. Her readers will love it.’ Patricia Scanlan

‘Glam yet grounded ... a warm, witty and totally compelling story about three women trying to figure out what they really want from life. I couldn't put it down.’ Anna Carey

‘What a joy it was to read … best described as insightful, witty, warm, and always glam. I’ll be pressing this novel into the hands of all my friends this summer. A must read.’ Jen Bray

‘Warm, smart, witty and kind, this story of friendship, love and marriage is not just relatable but full of heart’ Henrietta McKervey

‘Super super talented … nice holiday read’ Daisy Kelliher

‘Full of colourful, humorous characters with a good shot of glamour running through it.’ Roisin Meaney

'A compassionate and funny read that is perfect to pack in the holiday suitcase.' Irish Farmer's Journal

‘Vicki expertly balances glamour and humour with drama and heart’ Richy Craven

‘Heartfelt and funny’ Oliver Callan, RTE Radio One

Genres: Contemporary

360 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 23, 2026

Reviews

[Chloe]

#Gifted

Anywhere But Here is the third book from writer, podcaster, and general babe Vicki Notaro.
While I really enjoyed her first two novels, I think this is my favourite. I brought it on holidays with me and flew through it; it’s the perfect summer read.

We meet three friends all at a personal crossroads in their lives.
Matilda presents breakfast tv in Ireland and is happily married to her super successful BBC presenter husband. In a bid to surprise him on his birthday, she heads over to his London flat but on arrival she gets the shock of her life that leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about their relationship.

Sadie is Matilda’s sister-in-law. She’s worked for the same newspaper for fourteen years but feels a change might be looming. If she’s not a journalist anymore though, who is she? Meanwhile, her house is falling apart and her love life is non-existent.

Sadie thinks their friend Jess has it all; a happy marriage, nice home, kids, and a good job. Jess however, is getting anxious about her upcoming empty nest when her kids leave for college. Can her marriage survive without the distraction of their children?

The three women realise they’re all in need of a time out, so head to the wilds of Donegal to try to figure it all out.

I love a book about female friendship; yes, there’s romance and ridey men in here too but the real crux of the story is the three women and how important they are in each other’s lives. I loved that these characters are around my own age and facing real life problems that tend to pop up at this time in your life. Relationships, kids, career worries, the housing crisis, getting old; it’s all in here but written with a knowing nod, a light hand and a good dose of humour. I laughed out loud at Sadie trying to write a book and moaning “but I don’t want to write about sexy dragons!” 😅😅
This is a funny and engaging read but it’s also just incredibly comforting and warm.

The world is pretty grim right now so I recommend getting lost in a good book; and I definitely recommend Anywhere But Here.

With many thanks @penguinbooksireland for my early copy. All opinions are my own, as always.

[Sonia Harris Pope]

Another banger of a book from Vicki Notaro who writes about female friendships like no other. This is a book for anyone who loves a good Netflix Rom Com. It will also make you fall in love with Ireland, all over again.

[Toni]

'Anywhere But Here' is the third novel by Vicky Notaro. It is an entertaining and glamorous story of three friends who balace a glossy lifestyle with the messy reality of midlife crises.
Matilda, Sadie and Jess get overwhelmed with life and escape to a house in Donegal to figure out their next steps.
Vicki's sharp and funny writing combined with her knowledge of the entertainment industry makes this contemporary Irish romance a brilliant and captivating summer read!
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Sandycove for the ARC.

[Read with Yemi]

I had so much fun reading this book! I loved how relatable and close to home the characters felt, and I really enjoyed following their journeys through all the difficult, unexpected moments life can throw at you. It was heartfelt, comforting, and such an enjoyable read from start to finish 🤍📖

[ericas_bookreviews]

"𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕? 𝑫𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚'𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆"

When was the last time you thought 'I wish I was anywhere but here'? I think that at least once a day but I mean the 'my life is falling apart', 'I don't recognise myself', 'where the hell is my life going' kind of I wish I was anywhere but here feeling?, this book is for everyone who has ever thought that, who wonders what if, who longs to just run away & forget all the 'what if's' that consume them.

Its a love letter to friendship, that real genuine, gritty friendship, the friends who will fight for & defend you in a heartbeat but also won't hesitate to call you out on your BS when needed, the friends who have seen at your worst & love you anyway.

I instantly feel in love with this book, it was so effortless to read with amazing, relatable characters, newlywed Matilda the stunning face of Irish day time TV, her sister in law Sadie, a long time journalist living the carefree single life, happiest with her dog & finally Jess a showbiz makeup artist who married young & is now facing into an empty nest. On the outside they are all living their best lives, but life is never that simple is it? When all of their personal lives come to a head for very different reasons they find themselves escaping to the stunning Donegal coast, in an effort to reset & find themselves again but can they be honest with their best friends & attempt the words we're all afraid to say, 'I'm not okay'

Vicki writes what she knows which I love, expect glamour, glitz, nods to showbiz, journalism & gossip but behind the glitz & glam is a powerful story about hurt, betrayal, hidden trauma & the cold hard truth behind putting on a brave face. It also shines a fantastic light on the power & healing behind simply talking; about your pain, thoughts & fears.

This is a fun, glamours read but with so much heart, depth & insights. Its a reminder that those that really matter will always love you for you and the secret to living your best life is to stop pretending you are.

*Thank you to the author & publisher for my advanced proof copy, all thoughts are my own.

[Sue]

4.5 stars.


She has done it again and written another banger about female friendships, specifically middle aged female friendships.

They say write what you know and for all three of her books Vicki has pulled back the curtain on her past life a wee bit - showbiz, journalism and publishing. There are also little nods to real life showbiz stories too which add to the enjoyment for the reader but that is just the scrapping the surface of what is at the heart of these books.

The three protagonists and besties in this saga are Matilda - the face of Ireland's popular TV show Tea Break who clearly has it all, her sister in law Sadie - an old school journalist who wishes her life had a bit more in it other than a situationship and her dog and Jess - a makeup artist with the nuclear family about to become an empty nester. Everyone seeming like they are fine but everyone carrying their own emotional load that they haven't been honest with their best friends about or even themselves.

Beneath the glossy facade and the women's relatively unimaginable lives (to us mere mortals) there is always a deep and important theme in Vicki's writing. This particular story has a really powerful storyline about the incredible healing power of therapy. How life changing it can be to open up about your deepest, darkest thoughts and fears. How bottling up and suppressing emotions only leads to negative outcomes and that honesty, with yourself especially, is always the best policy.

Vicki writes really believable characters, even the ones that you don't seem to have much in common with on the face of it. She does that by delving deep into what makes people tick. It doesn't matter what job you have or how much money, it's who you are that truly matters and creates connection. A really enjoyable read. I'd love to know what happened to them - all hopefully they reappear in later stories as her best characters are prone to do. Sure Ireland is a small auld place ;-)

[Rosie Breen]

‘I don’t want to write about sexy dragons!’ Me neither, sister.

There’s nothing I love more than a novel about female friends where the characters are relatable and above all, well flushed out. Add to it being in my country and it’s a certified banger.

Here we follow three besties, Sadie, Matilda and Jess. Each lady, through a series of unfortunate events, is forced to stare straight in the mirror at their lives, flaws and all.

I was so impressed with how Vicki Notaro weaved so many issues women (particularly women in their mid to late 30’s/early 40’s) face everyday into a novel surrounding three different stories. Each main character feels completely their own yet the flow is glorious.

The drama is not thrown at you suddenly, it builds and unfurls itself in a satisfying and honest way. Every alternating path Sadie, Matilda and Jess find themselves on curls like a flower petal, they and the reader have to be patient for the blooming conclusion. You really get to see the back and forth in the minds of the characters.

Donegal is portrayed like a comfort blanket, a safety zone for the ladies to find who they are and who they want to be.

Overall, this is a wonderful work of fiction. In the acknowledgements, Vicki Notaro says the message of the book is one of her own life mottos -it’s never too late- and I think that is so beautiful, especially for women who are always running a marathon against time.

Zsa Zsa, drop the hair care routine please.

[Aga]

Thank you to Penguin General UK – Fig Tree, Hamish Hamilton, Viking, Penguin Life, Penguin Business | Sandycove and NetGalley for this ARC.
Wow, what a story.
Three friends. Three very different dramas.
Matilda finds out about her husband’s cheating. Sadie, Matilda’s sister-in-law, gets fired and suddenly has to figure out what she actually wants to do with her life. While Jess is dealing with her own marriage issues alongside empty nest syndrome.
Each of their stories is heartbreaking and empowering in its own way.
I wanted to shake Matilda at times and make her take a stand with Tommy, who was quite hard to like throughout the book. Sadie’s backstory was the most heartbreaking for me. It explains so much about her behaviour, and honestly, I just wanted to give her a hug. And Jess felt incredibly real. She could be any of us.
What I really appreciated was that each woman had her own growth and took a different path towards finding happiness. The author didn’t try to solve their problems by simply pushing a man into each of their lives. Instead, they were allowed to develop in their own time, in their own way, and work out what happiness actually looked like for them.
An emotional, deep and beautiful read about friendship, change and finding yourself when life doesn’t quite go according to plan.

[Claire Self]

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review Anywhere But Here by Vicki Notaro. I have given this book four stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I definitely needed a little switch up in genre and I’m so glad I decided to read this book when I did. I was really impressed with Notaro’s writing and how believable her characters were! I love a book which you can relate to with certain characters are know that this book will be good for those who can relate. It was a breath of fresh air to read about three friends and the problems and decisions they were left to deal with. Although, it got a little dark in places, it was overall a light and easy read.

I really loved the three main characters and enjoyed reading about their different journeys through their mid-life crisis’. The only part that left me a little down in the dumps was when they mentioned Covid, as it brought me back to reality and I love delving into a book and having that distance from reality at times especially when it hits hard with universal pandemics and wars.

I hope to read more by Notaro in the future and thank you once again NetGalley for this opportunity.

[Leanne]

I ended up enjoying this one so much more than I expected.

The story follows three women navigating the chaos that life throws at them, and I really loved how different they all were. Out of the three, Sadie was definitely my favourite. I connected with her the most and found myself rooting for her from the very beginning.

What I loved most, though, was the friendship between the women. Even though they're all in different places in life and juggling their own responsibilities, they still show up for each other when it matters. I think the book captured that stage of friendship in your late 30s and early 40s really well, where life gets busy but those connections are still so important.

The writing flowed effortlessly and struck a lovely balance between being charming, funny, and emotional when it needed to be. The pacing was steady throughout, so I was never tempted to put it down.

Overall, this was a heartwarming, relatable read with characters I genuinely cared about. If you enjoy stories centred around female friendships and the messy realities of adulthood, I'd definitely recommend picking this one up.

[Christine]

3.5 ⭐️

Anywhere But Here is overall a very uplifting read about it never being too late. To leave a relationship that's not working, a job that no longer brings you joy, to unpack your trauma and begin healing, to strengthen those relationships you may have taken for granted. The messaging around this, in general, was uplifting.

There were moments when I did balk at some of the characters. At one point, Matilda asks if she's "tainted goods" because her husband had cheated on her. Thankfully, with a lot of healing, she realises her worth has nothing to do with that prick.

For me, Sadie's character development was wonderful, even if the ending with Ethan seemed a bit rushed. I enjoyed and empathised with her character the most.

I loved Jacinta's commentary that she’s not a "manhater" just because she's chosen to remain single, that it would simply take someone special to fit into the life she’s cultivated for herself. Iconic behaviour.

Overall, an enjoyable read about female friendship and finding out what matters to you.

[Sarah-Louise Kinahan]

When I first began this book I found the descriptions and behaviours of the female characters (particularly Matilda) cringey and degrading, the way she was described reminded me of patriarchal views and stereotyping of women of her calibre and I felt defensive of her. There were one liners taken directly from internet memes (ie: permanently exhausted pigeon) which I found quite uninventive and disappointing. I think the final third of the story was when things picked up, the first two thirds were dragged out and predictable. Towards the end we got to see the climax of the protagonists questionable behaviours and new revelations both past and present. The introduction of Kitty the Donegal therapist was probably my favourite part as it gave a psychological context to the characters personalities and behaviours. I would have liked if Sadie’s chequered past was teased a bit earlier so we as readers could have felt a closeness and understanding of her sooner, I found it hard to really become attached and fond of the character because of this.

[Anna]

This was exactly the kind of book I needed to mix things up this summer.
Anywhere But Here follows three women in midlife whose lives look very different on the surface, yet each finds herself standing at an unexpected crossroads.
I always enjoy stories centred around female friendships, the messy, honest, supportive relationships that feel so recognisable. This was an easy, page-turning read, and I I love the way the author portraits the characters with enough mix of escapism and reality which is so needed at this time of year.

It's the kind of novel that's perfect for long beach days, lazy afternoons in the garden, or simply when you're looking for a story that's warm, funny and full of heart.

A lovely summer read that I'd happily recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy.

[Karen]

When three 30-something Irish friends need a break from their day to day, they decide to leave their lives - jobs, partners and kids - for a getaway to the scenic area of Donegal This story was an interesting read as rather than have our ladies have everything fall apart at the very start of the book and then take off on their break, the entire first half of the story details each of their situations and gives a well rounded background so when they leave for Donegal their reasons for leaving are crystal clear.
I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters and then seeing them come back from the break and take their lives forward in a new way.
This is a great read if you enjoy reading women's fiction and women upholding the sisterhood of good friends.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin General UK for the arc for review.

[Aoife]

When life hits a wall simultaneously for all three friends Sadie, Matilda and Jess, we see them escape the Big Smoke for serenity, soul searching and full packed schedules.
We see the women navigate the housing crisis, redundancy, their biological clocks, marital issues and learning how to rebrand oneself.
This isn't your typical summer read, it's escapism with a dose of reality. Steamy affairs are from afar, and the wanderlust of sandy beaches are situated in Donegal. No big shocks, just grit, grime and getaways.
Only issue I had with this book really was that I had it as an ebook on my phone, which was less than ideal. (I know that sounds unappreciative) It took me a lot longer to get through it, but still kept me hooked enough to keep coming back for more!

[Abbie Hawkins]

3.5 ⭐️

I was quite apprehensive as I started this book, because even though I adore reading about female friendships, the ‘messy mid-30s mid-life crisis woman’ genre can feel a bit painful after a while.

I needn’t have worried though. I read this so quickly, the characters developed into lovable friends, and I really enjoyed the journeys that they took.

A light, easy read (with a couple of darker moments), one for a quick palette cleanser if you’re worried about where life might take you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing teams for this advanced copy in return for my unbiased review.

[Emily B]

An enjoyable and easy read that I finished in 24 hours. The theme of 'it's never too late' takes centre stage in this novel as we see three friends attempt to figure out just how in the world their lives have taken such unexpected turns. As a millenial women in her early 30s, I'm constantly plagued with dread that I should be achievening more in my professional and personal life so Anywhere but Here is a nice reminder that I'm not alone in these thoughts. Heartfelt and a love letter to long-lasting friendships, this is an uplifting book that serves as a reminder that you can never keep a good woman down.

[Vanessa (Nessreadsalot)]

I love a book where I can see myself in the story and that couldn't be more true with this book.
Three friends going through different crises decide to head off on a road trip to Donegal to sort their heads out and figure out what they want out of life. I absolutely love the way these characters feel like real people, you can identify so much with what's going on in their heads. I love how they support each other when it matters most and work to lift each other up. 
A truly engaging story of female friendship that I'm recommending to everyone! 

[Hollie Moore]

Finished this book in a week!! I was in such a reading slump this summer and this book single-handedly reignited my love for reading and created a new found love for the author, Vicki Notaro. This book brilliantly captures the struggles (and peaks) of growing up as a woman in Ireland, Vicki perfectly showcases that a problem shared is definitely a problem halved. 100/10

[Sue Plant]

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

what can i say its a great read for the summer about friends and friendships.....

[Lisa Hall]

Thoroughly enjoyable read, helped no doubt, with hearing the author in person at the book launch in Iveagh Hotel. It brought the book to life for me.

[Christina Browne]

A brilliant holiday read, loved it!

[Maura]

An easy read but the ending was a bit disappointing for me.

I heard Vicki speaking about her novels in a podcast and was intrigued.

[Sonia Anderson]

Great book about life transitions. I just visited Ireland and picked up this book in a local bookstore, thanks for the recommendation Ireland. It was a lovely story.

[Jo Fryer]

This is the first book I’ve read by Vicki Notaro thanks to NetGalley and Penguin UK Sandycove for the ARC.

To sum it up - I honestly loved it and flew through it.

I really enjoyed the three girls (we’re still girls in our late 30s) and could relate to bits of all of them even though they were all so different. I like the fact that none of them were perfect - they all had faults and that made them more real. I also appreciated the fact that romance was not front and centre - yes, of course there is some romance but the main focus is on friendship and being there for one another when you really need it.

There were lots of giggles and also many times I felt frustrated and wanted to shake them for bad decisions but ultimately I just wish I was on a vacay with them in that gorgeous house in Donegal. I’ll definitely be reading the other books by this author.

[Breige]

Three friends, all in different stages of life with their own problems. There's Matilda, TV presenter in Ireland married to mega star BBC presenter husband, who splits his time between Ireland and London. When Matilda flies to London to surprise him for his birthday, her world is turned upside and questioning her marriage.

Then there's Sadie, Matilda's sister-in-law. She's unsure about her job at the newspaper she's worked at for 14 years, with the industry in danger. On top of that her house is falling apart and she her love life has no prospects.

Finally there's Jess, who's on the outside looks like she has it all: marriage, children, a nice job and house. But will her marriage survive her kids leaving for college?

When all their problems come to a head, they decide to retreat to Donegal in a bid to sort out their problems and have some girl time. Can the friends come together to support each other or will this trip end in disaster?

Vicki Notaro is emerging as one of my favourite authors for summery books! While there is a lot of wit, lightness and romance in her books, there is a weightiness with real life issues being discussed and Anywhere But Here is no exception. Because the characters are all at different stages of their lives, we get a wide range of issues that so many women 30+ experience. Behind the glossy exterior of these characters lies pain, heartbreak and anxiety.

The best thing about her books however are female friendships and how complex they can be at times; the ride or die elements of supporting your girls while also having to be the one to dish out some cold hard truths. I loved Matilda, Sadie and Jess' friendships, with the added complexity of Sadie being Matilda's sister-in-law.

If you like female friendship driven books with depth and humour, like Maeve Binchy, Marian Keyes or Sophie White and you haven't read a Vicki Notaro book yet, then you're missing out!

[Laura_the_librarian_]

I absolutely loved this! A brilliant story about friendship, relationships, starting over and figuring out what you actually want from life. Matilda, Sadie and Jess were such a brilliant trio. Three grown women with completely different lives, while still having so much in common.

The story is funny, messy, emotional and very relatable, with that perfect mix of drama and escapism. With every Vicki Notaro book, everything seems so perfect at the start, but you just know a twist is about to happen. Yet I was still SO shocked when the other shoe dropped 😂

I love the Donegal setting, it made me want to pack a bag and disappear for a few days myself! Each of the women needed to escape for different reasons and I loved seeing them have that time together to actually talk, reflect and figure things out. The friendship between the three of them was definitely my favourite part of the book 🥹

This is a perfect read if you love stories about female friendship, complicated lives and getting a little bit lost before finding your way again 💕 I can’t wait to see what Vicki comes out with next!

Anywhere But Here is out now. Thank you @vickinotaro @NetGalley and @penguinbooksireland for the arc!