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Chicory Inn #3

Another Way Home

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Grant and Audrey are adding grandchildren to their family left and right, but middle daughte, Danae, and her husband, Dallas Brooks, have been trying for years with no baby in sight.


Though Danae is ready to consider adoption, Dallas will not even discuss it. Despairing of ever having a family of her own, Danae decides to pour her passion and energies into volunteer work with a newly opened women’s shelter in town. Looking for a good cause to fill her lonely days, she never expects to give her heart to the hurting women she meets there. She’s finally learning to live her life with gratitude, but then heart-wrenching events on Thanksgiving weekend threaten to pull the entire Whitman clan into turmoil—and leave them all forever changed.

359 pages, Hardcover

Published November 1, 2015

34 people are currently reading
450 people want to read

About the author

Deborah Raney

76 books679 followers
DEBORAH RANEY's first novel, A Vow to Cherish, inspired the World Wide Pictures film of the same title and launched Deb’s writing career. Twenty-five years, forty-plus books, and numerous awards later, she's still creating stories that touch hearts and lives. Her novels have won RWA's RITA Award, the ACFW Carol Award, the National Readers Choice Award, and the HOLT Medallion. She is also a three-time Christy Award finalist. Deb is a recent Missouri transplant, having moved with her husband, Ken Raney, from their native Kansas to be closer to kids and grandkids. They love road trips, Friday garage sale dates, and breakfast on the screened porch overlooking their wooded backyard. Visit Deb on the Web at www.deborahraney.com.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
Profile Image for Dale Harcombe.
Author 14 books420 followers
July 27, 2018
Danae and her husband Dallas have been trying unsuccessfully to start a family. But every month Danae is devastated when, despite fertility treatment, she is not pregnant. Her sisters have no trouble getting pregnant and producing children, so why won’t it happen for her? The heartbreak of parents who struggle to conceive and the feelings that go with that situation are well portrayed. The reader is right there with them. Danae would be happy to adopt but Dallas for reasons of his own, will not consider the idea.
Despairing of ever having children, Danae becomes involved in a women’s shelter, hoping that this will ease her own pain a little and help her be more grateful for what she does have. At the women’s shelter she meets Misty, who is fleeing from an abusive husband, and her son Austin. Over time events conspire to involve not just Danae and Dallas, but also her parents Grant and Audrey Whitman who run the bed and breakfast known as Chicory Inn.
This is the third book in this series about Chicory Inn and the Whitman family, though I had no idea of that when I first started the book. The story can easily be read though as a stand-alone. Early one I became involved in the story with characters I came to care about. I loved the way the whole family supports each other and the way they come together each Tuesday night. It’s lovely to see a positive example of a family life portrayed. So many books these days seem to only show dysfunctional families. There is certainly that too with Misty and others who come to the shelter, so it is great to have the counterbalance of a loving family that pulls together.
This was a quick read for me as I simply did not want to put it down. I liked the way faith in God is portrayed as relevant to life and its situations, even when they don't work out as we would like. Despite the topic of domestic violence this is a book with mostly warm likeable characters, who come across as real. I loved it. Maybe too, I was just in the mood for a life affirming book that left me smiling, although that’s not to say there wasn’t some tears along the way. Emotionally invested throughout,I adored this heart-warming read.
Profile Image for Tonya.
1,126 reviews
February 19, 2016
Grant and Audrey are adding grandchildren to their family left and right, but middle daughte, Danae, and her husband, Dallas Brooks, have been trying for years with no baby in sight.


Though Danae is ready to consider adoption, Dallas will not even discuss it. Despairing of ever having a family of her own, Danae decides to pour her passion and energies into volunteer work with a newly opened women’s shelter in town. Looking for a good cause to fill her lonely days, she never expects to give her heart to the hurting women she meets there. She’s finally learning to live her life with gratitude, but then heart-wrenching events on Thanksgiving weekend threaten to pull the entire Whitman clan into turmoil—and leave them all forever changed.

--My thoughts. This is like going home to family. I am really beginning to love this group of people. It is like visiting and catching up! Why didn't Dallas want them really to adopt? You find out the answer to this question and so much more in this book. Raney really hits some excellent subjects in books. Subjects that mean a lot in the world -- but what does God say about them?

And the thing is, it isn't what we would expect! Sometimes that is the best thing in the world. Amen! Corrinne is in this one, and she is becoming one of my favorites, from Two Roads Home, which I adored! Enjoy the Whitman clan once again and happy reading!
Profile Image for Susan Snodgrass.
2,002 reviews272 followers
November 5, 2015
I just this minute closed the book on Deborah Raney's third book in her Chicory Inn series, 'Another Way Home'. So far, it's my favorite in the series, too. I spent a goodly amount of time crying and then grinning from ear to ear.

This book tells Danae and Dallas's story. They have wanted a baby for so long, endured years of treatment, all to no avail. Dallas will not even discuss adoption and Danae's heart seems to break nearly every day. She decides to do some volunteer work, hoping to keep her mind off her infertility.

Deborah Raney never, ever disappoints with her books. Not even one little tiny bit. When I begin to read her books, I feel as if I've settled down into a comfy chair and I'm just home somehow. They just feel good. She writes with such strength and courage, creating characters that stick with you long after you close the last page of the book. She brings us into her characters' struggles and heartbreak and we find ourselves just about to pray for them ourselves!

Deborah creates stories that are so real in today's world and grabs the reader right into that make believe world that, somehow, doesn't really seem like make believe. Her words are rich, her situations real and her strong faith shines through her books like a beacon. I love how she brings her characters through with their faith in God. It's amazing to watch these folks grow in the Lord and trust Him for all their life situations.

With this family, Audrey and Grant Whitman and their children, Raney has created an enduring legacy of love, courage and a strong depth of faith. I wish I had the next book already! I highly recommend this series and anything Deborah Raney writes!

*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review, which I have given. My opinions are my own.
3,876 reviews1,760 followers
November 12, 2015
Another addition to the stunning Chicory Inn series. Definitely reads fine as a standalone, though I think you'll get the most out of the story if you've read the first two books, Home to Chicory Lane and Two Roads Home.

Another Way Home is a multigenerational tale told from the viewpoints of Audrey and Grant Whitman and their daughter Danae and son-in-law Dallas. Love the complexities in this family's life and the special relationship that bridges four generations. Audrey and Grant are the anchor, their steadfast faith standing in the gap whenever it is called for.

And this time it is Danae and Dallas who need help navigating the complexities of married life. I am a huge fan of reading a married couple's love story. Too often romance readers are left hanging at the 'and they lived happily ever after' end of a book. No mention of the gnarly bits and life messes that make up our everyday reality. Raney invites us into the imperfect world of Danae and Dallas. There's no question that these two love each other but their struggles with infertility have brought division into their marriage.

Rife with stress, full of heartache and indecision, their story touched me deeply. I was at odds, championing them both, wishing I could wave a magic wand and fix it all for them. Raney does better than that. She sets them on an incredible journey of discovery. There's plenty of twists and turns and gasp-out-loud moments. But then, there it is, the 'aha' moment that gave my goosebumps goosebumps. Because Dallas and Danae's story proclaims that God always has a plan, even in the midst of our darkest hour. And that plan far exceeds even our most outrageous imaginings.

Thanks to Litfuse Publicity Group and Abingdon Press for providing me with a copy of this book.
Profile Image for Katrina Burchett.
Author 1 book37 followers
January 10, 2016
Danae Brooks wants to be a mommy more than anything. For three years she and her husband, Dallas, have tried. Her sisters have no problems conceiving. So why has it been so difficult for her?

I remember feeling for Danae after reading Two Roads Home, the second Chicory Inn novel. I was happy to see that this story would focus on her issue. I understood her frustration. I understood how she felt towards her sisters and how she felt towards God at times. And I understood Dallas' point of view. These are two believable characters dealing with their feelings and their situation in a realistic way.

Raney tackles domestic violence with this one. I found some moments heartbreaking, but there were scenes that could have been more intense, considering what happened. She also includes bits and pieces from the two previous works in her Chicory Inn series, so this could be a stand alone book. Still, the better choice would be to start from the beginning and enjoy all three novels. Grant and Audrey Whitman and their children are a close-knit family, always willing to support each other in times of trouble. I love that. And even though they may struggle with God's way of doing things, they care about His will.

As I read this story, I thought of Isaiah 55:8-9. It's great when an author writes in a way that brings Scripture to remembrance, because then I'm not just enjoying a story but I'm getting my mind on Jesus. I've read quite a bit of Christian Fiction and that doesn't always happen. I thank Deborah Raney for allowing God to use her to be a blessing to others.

Another Way Home is an inspiring, thought-provoking read and the best Chicory Inn novel. So far. Close to Home will be the fourth and the first two chapters are in the back of this book.
Profile Image for Nayuleska.
385 reviews6 followers
August 14, 2015
You'll need lots of tissue for this story about a couple wanting children and getting them in an unexpected way. Don't panic if you aren't religious, God is important to Danae & Dallas (which is nice to see) but it's not in your face, as it were. Although it is part of a series I had no issues jumping in at this story either.

I suspected I'd cry a bit, but what happens to Danae and Dallas is truly heartwrenching. Danae follows her heart even when her husband is a bit against her ideas. For health reasons I can't volunteer at places so was delighted when she got trained to help at a women's shelter, since I learnt a bit more about how they run and what happens when situations get a bit scary.

I was gobsmacked by the plot twists, which really goes to show that if you don't get something you want in the 'conventional' way, there are other ways out there (not just for getting children). It's the end result which matters, not how Danae and Dallas ended up with children in their lives, although that is a rollercoaster in itself. Their love for each other and the children is immense; infertility is a hard life obstacle to tackle, especially when it goes on for years; although I haven't experienced it the emotions from Danae are palpable.. The way Danae had to cope with her sisters when they got pregnant/when she saw their children made me want to give her a hug. This is definitely a book for keeps.

I received a copy of this via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review on my blog Nayu's Readng Corner http://nayusreadingcorner.blogspot.co...

Profile Image for Jeanie.
3,085 reviews1 follower
January 8, 2016
Sometimes life's greatest adventures and greatest blessings were found by taking another way home.


A prose on the longings of the a heart, the pain of love that is lost, and parenthood. Dallas and Danae have been trying to start a family of their own and have felt the frustration and pain of being denied a good thing. When Danae's younger sister is pregnant again with their 4th, she can't help but feel angry, hurt, and lost. Dallas feels the loss as well and together they agree to take a break from the fertility fiasco. To direct her pain from herself, Danae starts to volunteer at a safe home for abused woman and their children. It is there that she discovers what she is made of and the faithfulness of God.

I loved the rawness of Danae and Dallas emotions and how they together came to terms of the hurt and pain of not being able to conceive. Dallas himself was adopted and suffered from identity crisis and could not see past his pain to adopt himself with Danae. Dallas's journey in this process was a spiritual one that required faith and seeing with different eyes. It was a great perspective. I found myself emotional at times and very encouraged that God does lead a different way home. A home where we find acceptance, stability, and love.

A Special Thank You to Abingdon Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
Profile Image for ANNETTE.
1,109 reviews6 followers
August 4, 2025
Book #3
This story took me awhile to get into it.
Danae was getting on my nerves. she seemed like she was so focused on having a baby .The story centers around Danae & Dallas and their fertility problems and how God redirects the problem to adoption.
Profile Image for Beth.
292 reviews5 followers
November 15, 2015
I received this book from Litfuse Publicity for no charge in exchange for my honest review of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.







Book Description:




Grandchildren are not in short supply for Grant and Audrey Whitman, although their middle daughter, Danae, and her husband, Dallas Brooks, after trying for years, have not been able to contribute to the growing family. Danae is open to adoption, but Dallas will not even discuss it. Her despair over never having a family of her own is so deep, it even causes her to question God’s plan for her life. Knowing she must find something to do to fill her lonely days and energize her life, Danae volunteers to work at a newly opened women’s shelter in town. She was only looking for a way to spend her time, but getting to know the hurting women at the shelter fills her heart and she learns to live a life of gratitude once again. But heart-wrenching events on Thanksgiving weekend threaten to pull the entire Whitman clan into turmoil— and leave them all forever changed



My Thoughts:




Another Way Home is the third book in Deborah Raney's Chickory Inn series and it is the best one so far. I have had the honor of reading and reviewing the first two books in this series and each one is better than the last. Another Way Home focuses on Danae and Dallas Brooks. They have been trying for many years to have a family, had many fertility treatments, and haven't been able to get pregnant. Danae's sisters have 5 between them and one on the way and each time it kills Danae to not be a part of it and it affects the relationships Danae has with other people especially her sisters and question God's plans. Danae has been open to adoption but Dallas won't do it or talk about it. Danae decides she needs to find something to fill her days so she volunteers at a women's shelter even though Dallas and her Dad have some major reservations. Danae finds being at the shelter helping these women and children brings her joy she hasn't had in a long time. Danae finds herself filled with purpose and really connecting with one woman and her son especially. Even Dallas comes to the shelter to help and he finds himself connecting with the little boy. When Dallas and Danae help her out over Thanksgiving and the events that unfold from there throws their lives up in the air and changes them forever.




Another Way Home is FANTASTIC. I am a huge fan of Deborah Raney having read quite a few of her books since I started reading Christian Fiction. Those who read my reviews know that I don't read much in the category of Christian Contemporary fiction but I have a few authors of Christian Contemporary Fiction that I read and Deborah Raney is at the top of that list. I really feel that Another Way Home is the best book I have read by Deborah Raney. This is one of those books that after I read it I had to take time to process before I could review it because it is that kind of book. I really had a hard time putting it down at night, this book grabbed me from the start and held on to me until the end, keeping me guessing how it would all work out until the end. I don't know that I will be able to do this book justice in this review because it is just deep and well written but I am doing to try. In this book, Deborah Raney deals with some big topics and she writes with authority on them including adoption, infertility, the effects of infertility on the family, domestic violence, and the effects domestic violence has on adults and children. Another Way Home really deals with these topics honestly and tastefully. As I read this book, the emotion and levity of this story really hit me. Deborah Raney wrote with such passion that you can feel the emotions in her writing. I really love that she is able to write about these topics cleanly, without having to be graphic. As a reader, I felt the full effects of these things without it having to be vulgar or violent. This book really brought out a range of emotions from laughing out loud to heartbroken and sobbing for the characters. The characters in this book and this series are well written and relatable to everyone, things don't just work out in the end but how the characters handle them is key. As someone who has dealt with some of these issues including infertility and domestic violence Deborah Raney captured not just the topics but the heart of these issues and all the emotions that surround them for everyone, not just the main characters but all of those around them and in the situation with them. This book really touched me and it is one of those that will stay with me for awhile. I cannot wait to read the next book in this series, especially after the sneak peek at the end of this book. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who reads Contemporary Fiction, it will not disappoint. I give this book 5+ STARS.
Profile Image for Loraine Nunley.
Author 27 books102 followers
March 1, 2017
Absolutely my favorite book in this series so far. What a wonderful story of gratefulness and love. It was also a reminder to me about how easy it is to look at what others have that we don’t, when we need to be focusing on what we do have. My heart sank with Danae and Dallas as they face frustration and sorrow. It soared when God blessed them. Wow. It was a roller coaster that I did not want to get off of. Full review at my website.
Profile Image for Itsy Bitsy Book Bits.
699 reviews50 followers
February 28, 2016
This is book three in The Chicory Inn series. I have not read books 1&2. When I first started the book I could tell that I was probably going to like it. The authors writing style sucks you in and you find yourself totally engrossed in the story. Danae Brooks wants to have a baby more than anything. For three years her and her husband Dallas have been seeking fertility treatments and every month has meant more heart ache and longing. Her sisters don't have issues getting pregnant so why does she? After some soul searching Danae decides to take a break from trying. While at church she hears about a volunteering opportunity at a woman's shelter. These women have been abused and flee from their abusers and get put in a safe house. Danae does the training and starts her volunteering. Her first night there Misty and her son Austin come to stay. Austin is bruised and bloody. Danae takes a liking to The little boy. But she doesn't want to get too attached. Volunteering ends up being really good for Danae and she starts basically letting God choose her path and accepting it. So she's happier and in better spirits. After Misty's husband comes to the shelter and beats her up she asks Danae and Dallas to take Austin for Thanksgiving because she doesn't want him around her crazy family. Danae and Dallas take him to Thanksgiving. Misty goes home to St. Louis and is trying to figure out what she wants to do next. After the holidays they can't get ahold of Misty and start really worrying about her only to find out she's been arrested. After lots of legal stuff concerning Austin Misty wants Danae and Dallas to keep him. They also get another surprise and it ends up being really great for their little family. I found this book to be well written and it was so easy to become completely invested in this family. I found myself crying happy tears with them. I have already added books 1&2 to my to be read list and plan to read them when I have time. Good book
Profile Image for Alyssa.
620 reviews71 followers
November 13, 2015
So far, we've had just a glimpse of Danae and her husband Dallas' struggle to conceive a child. Now finally in book three 'Another Way Home' we are getting the full story. Danae does quickly come to realize that she has been laser focused on having a baby and thus decides to volunteer at a local women's shelter home. This is where she meets Misty, a woman who has finally run from her abusive husband after he hit her son. Through a series of events, Danae and Dallas are soon on the rollercoaster that is adoption, something Dallas experienced as a kid and never wanted to do as a married couple. There are some twists and turns that aren't completely unexpected if you are familiar with adoption in anyway. However, it is still stressful and heart wrenching to read.

Overall, I liked this one more than book two, 'Two Roads Home', but can't decide if it is my overall favorite or not. A struggling marriage, high stakes, tough decisions, and trying to determine God's will over our own feelings, 'Another Way Home' is easily worth 4 stars. This is a series you should check out if you enjoy family sagas, miracles, and families who come together.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Litfuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
See more of this review and others like it at Sunrise Avenue
Profile Image for Hallie (Hallie Reads).
1,653 reviews151 followers
November 23, 2015
This review is also posted on Book by Book.

The third book of Deborah Raney’s Chicory Inn series, Another Way Home revisits the now familiar and well-loved Whitman family, and I loved it. At the center of this story, Danae Brooks and her husband, Dallas, deal with their desires for a family in the face of infertility. As this couple determines how to best embrace the plan God has for their future, the entire Whitman family shares a beautiful and emotional time dealing with difficult feelings, like pain, guilt, and unmet desires, and allowing their love and faith to shine throughout their interactions. It’s a wonderful addition to Raney’s series, and I would certainly recommend it to fans of the series. Now, I can’t wait to see what’s next for the Whitman family in the next book, Close to Home.

Thanks to LitFuse Publicity Group, I received a copy of Another Way Home and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Tia.
103 reviews7 followers
November 22, 2015
This is the third book in the Chicory Inn Series. Come join Dallas and Danae Brooks as they tread the waters of infertility and face the question of adoption.

Danae begins a journey of trying to find purpose in her life when she volunteers through her church at a shelter for battered women through her church. The women that she comes to know through the shelter starts giving her purpose.

Will Dallas still be stubborn or will he bend to the idea of adoption? What will happen to him and Danae?

My feelings about Danae .... yes, she seems a little distant and at times even short with her sisters who do not seem to have any problems conceiving. How would you respond when everyone around you seems to have no problems having children? How do you tread the waters of infertility, adoption and even foster parenting?

Join Danae and Dallas as they find their way in the book Another Way Home.

***This book deals with foster parenting, adoption and includes Domestic Violence too***

I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group for review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable or non-favorable review of this read.
Profile Image for Rhonda.
516 reviews20 followers
November 19, 2015
Deborah Raney has gotten right to the heart of the painful emotions of infertility for Dallas and Danae, and their extended family, who is hurting right along with them. Dallas has special reasons for being opposed to adoption but he does not feel comfortable sharing them with his wife or family at first. Will volunteering at the women's shelter bring it all to a head for them and break the dam open for Dallas? Danae has feelings of resentment and envy towards her sisters and feels guilty about that. They all feel they must walk on eggshells around Danae so they don't cause her further hurt feelings.

This is a beautiful, heart-wrenchging story of pain and raw emotion. The women at the shelter are escaping abusive situations and that brings its own level of pain for them and all those who volunteer with them. I love the setting of this series as well. The Bed and Breakfast that Grant and Audrey have established is absolutely beautiful and the perfect setting for the family gatherings.

I rated this book 5 stars and highly recommend it.

I received a free ebook from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Edward Arrington.
1,169 reviews12 followers
December 7, 2015
God’s ways are better than our ways. We often think we have all the answers and expect God to do things our way. Life just doesn’t work like that. Danae Brooks, middle daughter of Grant and Audrey Whitman, and her husband Dallas have some lessons to learn. The lessons to be learned by the characters in fiction are the same lessons we must learn in real life. Deborah Raney masterfully shares those lessons in her writing. This is the third Chicory Inn Novel and is every bit as interesting as the first two. At times you can almost feel the pain of the characters as they struggle with some very serious issues. For those who have faced infertility as Danae and Dallas have, the story will hit very close to home. For the rest of us, it shares some insights that we may have never considered. Although the book genre is Contemporary Women, I find that I can learn from it as well. Frankly, I think it should be listed as Family Drama. I recommend the book for anyone who has a family.
Profile Image for Rebecca "Rebaka" Lewis.
188 reviews
June 20, 2017
Danae Brooks feels like her world is coming to an end. She is alienating herself from her family. Danae is one of Audrey and Grant's daughters, whom you meet in Deborah Raney's first book, Home to Chicory Lane. Will Danae and her husband be able to draw on God's word when he tells them that things will be alright? or will they plunge deeper into despair?

This is a book is a stand alone but if you would like to read starting with the first book in the Chicory Inn series you will fall in love with this family.

Deborah Raney has fast become a favorite author of mine. She writes as if I am personally walking through the pages with this family.

I was given the book by NetGalley in exchange for my own views.
467 reviews50 followers
November 19, 2015
Emotionally captivating! Another Way Home, By: Deborah Raney
Another Way Home is book number three of the series A Chicory Inn. I was captivated right from the start with this most wonderful book. I so enjoyed reading this new story of Dallas and Danae Brooks. When life throws them a big curve ball they are soon faced with unexpected decisions. A book with so much faith, love, trust, heartache and pain. A story that will pull on your heartstrings like no other. I loved the strong faith in this story. Be prepared for an emotional roller coaster of a ride when you read this wonderful story. Be sure to order you copy of Another Way Home today! 5 stars!
Profile Image for Amber.
606 reviews48 followers
February 22, 2016
This was a good book. I really liked reading it.
Profile Image for Melanie Tillman.
Author 4 books17 followers
December 20, 2020
I have such mixed feelings about this book. I was so conflicted about it, couldn't decide if I should give it three stars or four - three and a half? On the one hand, I was so invested in the story, I had a hard time putting it down. This became more and more true the longer I read. I stayed up later than I should have on occasion wanting to know how things worked out. So obviously, the story drew me in. However . . .

However, I had a major problem with how the women at the shelter were portrayed. Raney filled her battered women's shelter with only one kind of woman - uneducated and poor. This goes against every statistic out there. Professionals who work with domestic violence will tell you that it can happen to anyone, regardless of race, education level, or economic status. Domestic violence happens in every type of neighborhood, so this really bothered me. It also was implied that the women were asking for it in a way, with several comments about them being attracted to the "wrong type of man." Again, experts will tell you that abusers are very good at laying on the charm and are often the last person you would expect to beat a woman. Yet in this story, Hank is your stereotypical brute who I imagined wearing a wife beater over his tatooed arms. There were also a few racist comments about how no one knew the racial background of the little boy. Like, who cares? It describes his skin tone as "olive," and I couldn't help thinking, "if his skin was white, no one would wonder what his ethnicity was." Danae repeatedly chastises herself for judging the woman who's son she is trying to adopt, yet it always comes across as "I'm so much better than her. Oh, I probably shouldn't say that, but it's true" instead of true conviction. Actually, ALL of the women in the shelter are portrayed as bad mothers when they ignore their kids to watch a "raunchy" tv show.

I know that all sounds harsh, so why would I even give this book this many stars? Well, like I said, I was hanging on the edge of my seat to see how things would resolve. Dallas and Danae were also well developed, flawed characters, who grew as the story went on. Dallas sort of seemed callous to Danae's pain at first, even lamenting that if they had a baby, she would love it more than him. (Please, you are a grown man, sheesh!) Yet, as he bonds with the little boy they foster, he realizes what Danae has longed for all along. I also liked how it showed the sacrificial love foster and adoptive parents have to have when taking in an older child who has suffered trauma. It also realistically portrayed the uncertainties of domestic American adoption, where the birth mother could change her mind at the last minute (and rightfully so). I have walked with dear friends and close family who have struggled with infertility, and the emotions and struggles were portrayed in a gut-wrenching way. (Though the men in my life have been FAR more mature and supportive than Dallas, but like I said, he came around.) I also know people personally who have traveled the roller coaster of fostering and adopting. For the realistic portrayal of those things, as well as the engaging plot, I give this book overall three stars.

I just wish there had been less stereotyping and judgmental attitudes towards battered women.
Profile Image for Barbara Harper.
849 reviews44 followers
May 9, 2018
Another Way Home by Deborah Raney is the third in her Chicory Inn series involving the family of empty nesters Grant and Audrey Whitman, who have turned their family home into a bed and breakfast. (The first was Home to Chicory Lane; the second, Two Roads Home.) Though the whole family of their adult children, sons- and daughter-in-law, and grandchildren are in every book, each book in the series focuses on one particular child and his or her family.

This time the spotlight shines on middle daughter Danae and her husband Dallas. They have been trying to conceive for years with no results except tension in their marriage and resentment and hurt on Danae’s part. She’s particularly stung when sister Corrinne becomes pregnant – again – unexpectedly without even trying. Danae can’t keep her resentment from showing, and Corrinne feels guilty and unsure when to even announce her news to the family. Though the family empathizes and tries to be sensitive, Danae resents their well-meaning questions and concerns and sympathy. Dallas especially feels he has to constantly walk on eggshells around Danae. Dallas won’t even discuss the possibility of adoption, for reasons which he won’t share, even though he himself was adopted and raised by a loving family.

Danae decides they should stop fertility treatments and the quest to have a baby for a while. To try to occupy herself, she responds to an announcement at church asking for volunteers at a women’s shelter. There she becomes friends with another older volunteer, Bertha, and gets involved in the lives of one of the women there and her son.

I don’t want to say any more than that so as not to give the story away.

I love how Deborah doesn’t sugarcoat any of the facets of the story. All of the characters’ struggles are gritty and realistic while they seek for God’s direction, provision, and grace.
1,173 reviews5 followers
October 30, 2018
Dallas and Danae can not get pregnant. And after 3 years of trying and medical care, this situation has taken a toll on their marriage.
Danae is not happy with her mind preoccupated just with the unhappy thoughts, so she decides to fill her mind with something other for a change - and so she decides to become a volunteer and the women´s shelter. Seeing the sad lives of abused women, she quickly matures in her understanding of gratitude. And she and her husband grows to love a certain little boy. So they are happy to bring him home with them to celebrate the Thanksgiving, while his mother takes care of some issues. And then the tragedy strikes and they are put under hard decision.

This novel is SO warm! Sure, it is bit too positive and bit sugar-coated in all of the goodness of the main characters. But the warmness covers all of the small "sins". This novel is like a warm sweater at the rainy day plus a cup of hot cocoa just according to your taste. It is sweet, yes, but its sweetness is exactly what you just need to rest and to recharge.
Profile Image for Carla de Graaf - Kijk in de Vegte.
14 reviews
August 10, 2025
Ik heb ontzettend genoten van dit boek. Vanaf het begin voelde ik een klik met de personages – ze kwamen voor mij echt tot leven, en ik kon me goed in hen verplaatsen. Hun keuzes, twijfels en ontwikkeling maakten het verhaal voor mij boeiend en herkenbaar.

Omdat ik op vakantie was toen ik het boek las, heb ik er iets langer over gedaan dan normaal. Toch vond ik dat eigenlijk wel fijn; het gaf me de ruimte om er dieper in te duiken. Ik heb tijdens het lezen veel notities gemaakt. Sommige gingen over mijn eigen vermoedens over hoe het verhaal zich zou ontwikkelen, andere over inzichten en lessen die ik uit het verhaal haalde. Het boek zette me aan het denken, op een manier die ik waardeer.

Kortom: een meeslepend en betekenisvol boek dat blijft hangen. Geen vijf sterren, omdat er hier en daar wat langzamere stukken in zaten, maar absoluut de moeite waard.
1,070 reviews
June 9, 2017
Though all the Whitman family appears in this book, this is Danae and Dallas' story. After trying for several years to get pregnant, including fertility treatments, they are both a bit of a mess and their marriage is suffering. Deciding she didn't like the person she'd become, Danae resolves to take a break from all the trying and find something better to devote her time to. After hearing at church about a safe haven for women, Danae decides to volunteer. This is a life changing decision. Besides infertility, the book touches on the plight of battered women and their children, adoption, and ultimately, waiting on God for his perfect timing. I am really enjoying this family saga and like the way the author includes all of the family in each book, though focusing on one couple.
Profile Image for Henrieke.
264 reviews1 follower
August 1, 2021
Dit vind ik tot nu toe het mooiste deel uit deze serie. Voor alle gezinsleden van de familie Whitman gaat het wat betreft kinderen krijgen over rozen, maar bij Dallas en Danae is dat niet het geval. Wanneer zich andere mogelijkheden aandienen, gaat hun verhaal verder tussen hoop en vrees.

Opnieuw was ik onder de indruk van de originaliteit en levendige karakters die Raney weet weer te geven. Er waren wel enkele voorspelbare facetten in het boek en soms lijkt het gedrag van alle personen in het boek wel bijna volmaakt. Ondanks dat was dit een erg waardevol boek met als boodschap dat het leven soms anders loopt dan je denkt, maar dat alles op Gods tijd goedkomt. Erg mooi!
Profile Image for Staci.
2,274 reviews656 followers
November 1, 2016
This is my favorite of the Chicory Inn Series so far.

Danae is the second oldest in her family. She and Dallas have watched for years as her other siblings had planned and unplanned children. All the while, they have been praying and going through fertility treatments to have a child of their own.

This novel was a great example of how we have our plans and God has His. Another Way Home was an engaging read and one that just might bring a tear to your eye.

I look forward to the next in the series.
2 reviews
July 28, 2017
I read this book because it was the last book my friend Joan read before passing away on Tuesday. This book was not even a blimp on my radar of future books to read, however I am glad I did. The title alone was symbolic to her passing. The correlations to her life and the main character were similar. But what I was reminded of the most was to be grateful for what I do have and know that I don't always get my prayers answered in the way I think they should be, but they are answered all the same.
1,694 reviews
March 31, 2022
The third book in this series about life in Missouri that started with an empty nest couple turning their home into a B&B. This particular book focuses on their daughter, Danae, and how she and her husband are struggling with infertility while Danae's siblings seem to have no problem giving grandchildren to their parents. Danae finally decides to volunteer at a women's shelter and there finds more than she imagined. No sex or profanity. As with the other books in this series, they are nice enough Christian reads, just not extremely engaging.
Profile Image for Jackie Rogers.
1,187 reviews22 followers
July 4, 2020
Danae and Dallas are struggling to get pregnant. Her sisters have kids but she just can't grt with child. She is ready to give up fertility treatments and redirect her life. She volunteers at a womens center to help those abused. This brings her and Dallas to an agreement as one of the mothers and her son are in trouble. Beautiful story.
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