What do you think?
Rate this book
Finding Home #1
Take Me Home
What if everything you ever thought was true about your past, wasn't true at all? Liana Winn has always felt like an outsider in her family. As a child she was adopted by relatives after her parents’ plane accident in India, but now that she is as an adult, her disjointed memories—and nightmares—of the past continue to make it impossible for her to bridge the wide gulf she still feels with her adoptive family. She is plagued by questions about her parents’ deaths and wonders if that event is the reason for her inability to form deep personal relationships. Although her adoptive brother Christian has become her greatest friend and supporter, she even has difficulty bonding with him. Needing someone means love, and losing those you love hurts too much. When Liana meets successful businessman, Austin Walker, who has risen above his own difficult childhood on a Wyoming farm, she’s certain their business will not extend to friendship. Yet she cannot deny their powerful connection and the feeling of hope he offers for romance. But the ghosts of the past will not rest for Liana, and while searching for answers, she makes a shocking discovery that just might mean the end of everything she’s ever believed. Editorial Reviews Take Me Home is about healing, redemption, and self-discovery. This powerful women's fiction piece will resonate strongly with any reader interested in stories of personal heritage and Ukrainian orphanages, adoption, and connections with those who would be accepted as family. –D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review All the stories in the Finding Home Series are complete stories without cliffhangers. Each novel is about a separate couple. There are tie-ins with the series, of course, but you do not have to read them in order. Enjoy!
- GenresRomance
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 17, 2017
93 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Branton
32 books72 followersTeyla Rachel Branton grew up avidly reading science fiction and fantasy and watching Star Trek reruns with her large family. They lived on a little farm where she loved to visit the solitary cow and collect (and juggle) the eggs, usually making it back to the house with most of them intact. On that same farm she once owned thirty-three gerbils and eighteen cats, not a good mix, as it turns out. Teyla always had her nose in a book and daydreamed about someday creating her own worlds. She is now married, mostly grown up, and has seven kids, so life at her house can be very interesting (and loud), but writing keeps her sane. She thrives on the energy and daily amusement offered by her children, the semi-ordered chaos giving her a constant source of writing material. Grabbing any snatch of free time from her hectic life, Teyla writes novels full of mystery, romance, and imagination. She warns her children that if they don’t behave, they just might find themselves in her next book! She’s been known to wear pajamas all day when working on a deadline, and is often distracted enough to burn dinner. (Okay, pretty much 90% of the time.) A sign on her office door reads: DANGER. WRITER AT WORK. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. She loves writing fiction and traveling, and she hopes to write and travel a lot more. She also loves shooting guns, martial arts, and belly dancing. She has worked in the publishing business for over twenty years.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
March 29, 2022
(4.5 stars) - really good!
This book is a combination of romance & mystery wrapped up in women's fiction. It's not my usual kind of read, but the premise was interesting, & it was well written enough to keep me reading.
There were a few points that seemed a little too convenient, & one very unexpected event, but it was never unbelievable.
Someone complained about Liana's holding on to things for too long instead of moving on, but that aspect of the story is psychologically accurate - particularly given her childhood scars, which we eventually learn were even deeper than anyone realized.
I thoroughly enjoyed the romance, the mystery & even the women's fiction aspects of the story - I definitely recommend this one & look forward to checking out the next in the series!
*Romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic
*Potential content issues:
-Some sexual harassment in the workplace
-Some recounting of past child abuse by a character
This book is a combination of romance & mystery wrapped up in women's fiction. It's not my usual kind of read, but the premise was interesting, & it was well written enough to keep me reading.
There were a few points that seemed a little too convenient, & one very unexpected event, but it was never unbelievable.
Someone complained about Liana's holding on to things for too long instead of moving on, but that aspect of the story is psychologically accurate - particularly given her childhood scars, which we eventually learn were even deeper than anyone realized.
I thoroughly enjoyed the romance, the mystery & even the women's fiction aspects of the story - I definitely recommend this one & look forward to checking out the next in the series!
*Romance level: sweet kisses, nothing graphic
*Potential content issues:
-Some sexual harassment in the workplace
-Some recounting of past child abuse by a character
October 2, 2019
Overall: 3.5/5 Stars
Characters: 3/5 Stars
Believability: 3.5/5 Stars
Personal Opinion: 3.5/5 Stars
This has all the critical pieces of a heartfelt, emotional story. I was intrigued by Liana’s backstory and wanted to know why she held herself at a distance from people. I did struggle a bit to understand her coldness and forced distance toward her adopted family, mostly because of her age when she was adopted by them didn’t quite seem to fit with that kind of an extreme emotional reaction. As you move through the story, you see a bit more behind the why, but for me it never quite felt like a solid fit.
While this is classified as a romance, it isn’t the main focus of the story. That part is sweet, if a little light and fast in the founding of that relationship.
I was not a fan of Karyn’s character earlier in the book as she felt much, much younger and much more immature than her presented 20 year age, not to mention incredibly self centered. Even if I take into consideration the historical time frame of the mid/late 60s, that level of immaturity didn’t seem to make sense and it didn’t do much to garner any sympathy. Even some of the entries from later in her life, while a bit better, didn’t improve my opinion of her.
Between that and how cold and almost aggressively distant Liana’s character came across early on, the overall emotional impact of the story was brought down a bit for me. Overall, this was a good and interesting story, but it felt as though there were places that were missing tiny pieces that would smooth it all together.
*I received a copy of this book from the Author. Opinions stated are honest and my own.
Characters: 3/5 Stars
Believability: 3.5/5 Stars
Personal Opinion: 3.5/5 Stars
This has all the critical pieces of a heartfelt, emotional story. I was intrigued by Liana’s backstory and wanted to know why she held herself at a distance from people. I did struggle a bit to understand her coldness and forced distance toward her adopted family, mostly because of her age when she was adopted by them didn’t quite seem to fit with that kind of an extreme emotional reaction. As you move through the story, you see a bit more behind the why, but for me it never quite felt like a solid fit.
While this is classified as a romance, it isn’t the main focus of the story. That part is sweet, if a little light and fast in the founding of that relationship.
I was not a fan of Karyn’s character earlier in the book as she felt much, much younger and much more immature than her presented 20 year age, not to mention incredibly self centered. Even if I take into consideration the historical time frame of the mid/late 60s, that level of immaturity didn’t seem to make sense and it didn’t do much to garner any sympathy. Even some of the entries from later in her life, while a bit better, didn’t improve my opinion of her.
Between that and how cold and almost aggressively distant Liana’s character came across early on, the overall emotional impact of the story was brought down a bit for me. Overall, this was a good and interesting story, but it felt as though there were places that were missing tiny pieces that would smooth it all together.
*I received a copy of this book from the Author. Opinions stated are honest and my own.
May 24, 2018
This book is so touching and heartfelt. Branton does a great job of leaving Liana a mystery while opening her up to the reader. There were times I was laughing, crying, even screaming as I read this story. I cannot imagine all that Liana and others like her must have gone through or go through on a daily basis even in today's world. I thought I knew exactly what was going to happen but was surprised but not disappointed that I was wrong. The ending is so perfect. I normally am not a romance book kind of girl but am so glad I decided to read this book. Branton continues to impress me. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my review of it.
January 6, 2018
One of the things I like about this book is how it felt like real life. A book that is just as hard and trial strewn as life, not a story where everything is happy and falls into place. I loved seeing the relationship the main character had with her family change and grow.
https://bookconfessionsblog.wordpress...
If you're like me and start reading this book and find it vaguely familiar, just know this book was originally published as “Flying Home” under the name Rachel Ann Nunes.
https://bookconfessionsblog.wordpress...
If you're like me and start reading this book and find it vaguely familiar, just know this book was originally published as “Flying Home” under the name Rachel Ann Nunes.
January 14, 2019
Liana Winn was adopted by relatives, when her parents die in a plane accident in India. She is now an adult and still has nightmares from her past. She finds it hard to bond with her adoptive family, she finds it hard to form relationships.
Through her work she meets Austin Walker, Austin has also had a difficult childhood. She feels a connection to him, but is not sure why.
This was a really cute book, I love how the author makes her characters, have so much depth that you feel a connection with their lives. This was a great book, it had depth and was a fun read.h
Through her work she meets Austin Walker, Austin has also had a difficult childhood. She feels a connection to him, but is not sure why.
This was a really cute book, I love how the author makes her characters, have so much depth that you feel a connection with their lives. This was a great book, it had depth and was a fun read.h
March 19, 2020
While I'm not a fan of romance novels, this is much more... SO much more! Wow, hope, intrigue, family bonding, mystery, adventure, great surprises, happiness, grief, etc! I'm not one to give away the storyline, but you'll enjoy reading how Lara/Liana, an orphan girl, is able to escalate her rather negative mood and feelings. I'm so glad to see that this says, "Book 1"; that means there are more! In fact, I have already purchased the next one in the series!
February 21, 2022
Excellent book!
Love is not measured by how many love us but by how well we are loved. Being left at an orphanage as an infant scared Liana deeply. Being adopted then orphaned and sent to a strange but loving family impacted her ability to love. A chance encounter takes her life in unexpected but healing directions ending in a nearly full circle. This is a beautifully well written story that will make the reader cry, laugh and cheer for love!
Love is not measured by how many love us but by how well we are loved. Being left at an orphanage as an infant scared Liana deeply. Being adopted then orphaned and sent to a strange but loving family impacted her ability to love. A chance encounter takes her life in unexpected but healing directions ending in a nearly full circle. This is a beautifully well written story that will make the reader cry, laugh and cheer for love!
August 2, 2022
Full of pathos and finding self
I found this book difficult to read, so full of introspection and grief that I understood. It was also a bright light on the importance of finding, recognizing, and treasuring love. It isn’t perfect, as life isn’t, but even in hard circumstances we are the authors of our own story and can choose to grow through our trails rather than hiding from life.
I found this book difficult to read, so full of introspection and grief that I understood. It was also a bright light on the importance of finding, recognizing, and treasuring love. It isn’t perfect, as life isn’t, but even in hard circumstances we are the authors of our own story and can choose to grow through our trails rather than hiding from life.
July 29, 2022
Sweet story
This is a great read. It caught my eye because of the Ukrainian ancestry. It's light and entertaining, there's some twists and unexpected changes that occur too. A clean read that warms your heart. I loved it and look forward to reading more by this author (this was my first).
This is a great read. It caught my eye because of the Ukrainian ancestry. It's light and entertaining, there's some twists and unexpected changes that occur too. A clean read that warms your heart. I loved it and look forward to reading more by this author (this was my first).
March 1, 2018
I received an ARC copy of this book from the author for an honest review. I love this book it was amazing. I love the main character, Liana. She is such a strong character. I love how she stood up for herself.
March 15, 2020
This book was full of emotion. Some of it was very hard. There was death and the sad truth about over crowding in orphanages in foreign countries. Parts of it were very sweet. It was interesting to see Liana's growth throughout the book.
July 18, 2022
AMAZING STORY
Sometimes a book will make you feel sad, happy, and hopeful. This book brings all these feelings as well as engaging in the desire to know more about the characters backgrounds. Wonderful writing from Ms. Brandon.
Sometimes a book will make you feel sad, happy, and hopeful. This book brings all these feelings as well as engaging in the desire to know more about the characters backgrounds. Wonderful writing from Ms. Brandon.
July 3, 2023
Very moving
This is about a 4 year old girl who was orphaned in India, sent to live with family in Nevada. The book begins when she is an adult, working in a small cubicle doing taxes for a living. You journey with her backward and forward in time as she discovers herself.
This is about a 4 year old girl who was orphaned in India, sent to live with family in Nevada. The book begins when she is an adult, working in a small cubicle doing taxes for a living. You journey with her backward and forward in time as she discovers herself.
August 26, 2024
This was a bittersweet emotional read with a mystery. There was so much sadness, in so many characters. Until the reader feels like they are going under with them. You may need a nose tissue towards the end.
August 13, 2025
brilliant just brilliant
This book kept me guessing right up until the end. I loved it although the thing that happened at home while Clarissa & Liana were abroad really made me sad.
Thank you.
This book kept me guessing right up until the end. I loved it although the thing that happened at home while Clarissa & Liana were abroad really made me sad.
Thank you.
July 10, 2019
If I could give this book a rating of 10 I would.this is the 5th book I’ve read by Rachel Branton in less than a week. I loved each of them, but this by far is the best. A beautiful story.
March 4, 2021
New author. Truly enjoyed the book. Will be reading more of her. Highly recommend.
March 7, 2022
Well written, it’s just… not happy.
January 14, 2023
Take Me Home
This is a beautiful story, with wonderful characters and flawed characters.
I laughed and cried..
I can hardly wait to read the next book in this series.
This is a beautiful story, with wonderful characters and flawed characters.
I laughed and cried..
I can hardly wait to read the next book in this series.
August 13, 2025
This book kept me guessing right up until the end. I loved it although the thing that happened at home while Clarissa & Liana were abroad really made me sad. Thank you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2022
Interesting, but very predictable. I was grateful that the one coincidence being set up throughout the book didn't work out perfectly. That would have been too much. Characters were pleasant, fairly well developed, and showed integrity in their actions.
July 6, 2022
Would the real Liana please stand up
No matter who we are it is sometimes hard to believe you belong to your family. Rachel has outdone herself with the understanding of how we feel. Loved the emotions she beautifully expressed in finding Liana herself and learning to trust and Love. If you have ever doubted the love of family you need to read this book.
No matter who we are it is sometimes hard to believe you belong to your family. Rachel has outdone herself with the understanding of how we feel. Loved the emotions she beautifully expressed in finding Liana herself and learning to trust and Love. If you have ever doubted the love of family you need to read this book.
December 22, 2020
I fell in love with the whole story especially about the orphanages. My heart goes out to all those babies. This was a book I didn't want to put down glad there are a few more books in the series.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews