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Jordan Weiss #1
Almost Home
A breathtakingly poignant novel of suspense from one of fiction's newest leading voices.From bestselling author and Quill award nominee Pam Jenoff comes a rich, ambitious, and startling novel about a woman who must face a past she'd rather forget in order to uncover a dangerous legacy that threatens her future.
Ten years ago, American Jordan Weiss's idyllic experience as a graduate student and coxswain at Cambridge was shattered when her boyfriend and fellow crewmember, Jared Short, drowned in the River Cam the night before the biggest race of the year. Since that time, Jordan, a State Department intelligence officer, has traveled the world on dangerous assignments but has managed to avoid returning to face her painful memories in England. When her terminally ill friend Sarah asks her to come to London, though, Jordan finds herself requesting a transfer to the one place she swore she'd never go again.
In London, Jordan attempts to settle into her new life, pushing aside her haunting memories and taking on an urgent mission beside rakish agent Sebastian Hodges. Shortly after her arrival, just when she thinks there's hope for a fresh start in England, she is approached by a former college classmate who makes a startling assertion. He tells her that Jared's death was not an accident, but that he was murdered.
Jordan quickly learns that Jared's death was indeed not an accident, and that his research on World War II had uncovered a shameful secret. But powerful forces with everything to lose will stop at nothing to keep the past buried. Soon, Jordan finds herself in grave peril as she struggles to find the answers that lie treacherously close to home, the truth that threatens to change her life forever, and the love that makes it all worth fighting for.
It is a journey that sweeps readers across England and back in time to reveal the incalculable dangers that lie in the wake of war. Fast-paced and impossible to put down, "Almost Home" establishes Pam Jenoff as one of the best new writers in the genre.
Ten years ago, American Jordan Weiss's idyllic experience as a graduate student and coxswain at Cambridge was shattered when her boyfriend and fellow crewmember, Jared Short, drowned in the River Cam the night before the biggest race of the year. Since that time, Jordan, a State Department intelligence officer, has traveled the world on dangerous assignments but has managed to avoid returning to face her painful memories in England. When her terminally ill friend Sarah asks her to come to London, though, Jordan finds herself requesting a transfer to the one place she swore she'd never go again.
In London, Jordan attempts to settle into her new life, pushing aside her haunting memories and taking on an urgent mission beside rakish agent Sebastian Hodges. Shortly after her arrival, just when she thinks there's hope for a fresh start in England, she is approached by a former college classmate who makes a startling assertion. He tells her that Jared's death was not an accident, but that he was murdered.
Jordan quickly learns that Jared's death was indeed not an accident, and that his research on World War II had uncovered a shameful secret. But powerful forces with everything to lose will stop at nothing to keep the past buried. Soon, Jordan finds herself in grave peril as she struggles to find the answers that lie treacherously close to home, the truth that threatens to change her life forever, and the love that makes it all worth fighting for.
It is a journey that sweeps readers across England and back in time to reveal the incalculable dangers that lie in the wake of war. Fast-paced and impossible to put down, "Almost Home" establishes Pam Jenoff as one of the best new writers in the genre.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published February 3, 2009
1149 people are currently reading
4033 people want to read
About the author
Pam Jenoff
33 books6,743 followersPam is the author of several novels, including her most recent The Woman With The Blue Star, as well as The Lost Girls of Paris and The Orphan's Tale, both instant New York Times bestsellers. Pam was born in Maryland and raised outside Philadelphia. She attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and Cambridge University in England. Upon receiving her master’s in history from Cambridge, she accepted an appointment as Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. The position provided a unique opportunity to witness and participate in operations at the most senior levels of government, including helping the families of the Pan Am Flight 103 victims secure their memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, observing recovery efforts at the site of the Oklahoma City bombing and attending ceremonies to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of World War II at sites such as Bastogne and Corregidor.
Following her work at the Pentagon, Jenoff moved to the State Department. In 1996 she was assigned to the U.S. Consulate in Krakow, Poland. It was during this period that Pam developed her expertise in Polish-Jewish relations and the Holocaust. Working on matters such as preservation of Auschwitz and the restitution of Jewish property in Poland, Jenoff developed close relations with the surviving Jewish community.
Having left the Foreign Service in 1998 to attend law school at the University of Pennsylvania, Jenoff practiced law at a large firm and in-house for several years. She now teaches law school at Rutgers.
Following her work at the Pentagon, Jenoff moved to the State Department. In 1996 she was assigned to the U.S. Consulate in Krakow, Poland. It was during this period that Pam developed her expertise in Polish-Jewish relations and the Holocaust. Working on matters such as preservation of Auschwitz and the restitution of Jewish property in Poland, Jenoff developed close relations with the surviving Jewish community.
Having left the Foreign Service in 1998 to attend law school at the University of Pennsylvania, Jenoff practiced law at a large firm and in-house for several years. She now teaches law school at Rutgers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 378 reviews
September 21, 2023
I read this awhile ago, and thought I had already posted it on Goodreads. Since I hadn't, I am now, doing so.
This was a donation to our Little Free Library Shed. It’s plot outlined on the back of the cover intrigued me so I thought I would read it before releasing it back to the Shed.
I read this book in a little over a day. Although the plot was a bit far-fetched, I managed to keep turning the pages through all the twist and turns, lies, murders, betrayals and cover-ups.
But having said that, the main character, Jordan, who we are supposed to respect for her apparent seasoned history and resume seemed extraordinarily naive and dependent on men for someone said to be a top agent.
OK story, but inadequate heroine.
Bottom line, Almost Home was a light, easy read.
I don't think I will bother with the sequel.
Oh, did I mention there's a sequel?
This was a donation to our Little Free Library Shed. It’s plot outlined on the back of the cover intrigued me so I thought I would read it before releasing it back to the Shed.
I read this book in a little over a day. Although the plot was a bit far-fetched, I managed to keep turning the pages through all the twist and turns, lies, murders, betrayals and cover-ups.
But having said that, the main character, Jordan, who we are supposed to respect for her apparent seasoned history and resume seemed extraordinarily naive and dependent on men for someone said to be a top agent.
OK story, but inadequate heroine.
Bottom line, Almost Home was a light, easy read.
I don't think I will bother with the sequel.
Oh, did I mention there's a sequel?
February 26, 2011
This unfathomably incongruent mess of a contrived, predictable, simplistic book made me cringe so often that eventually I just gave in and laughed, reading aloud passages and scenes to people who are serious readers and who understand how State Department intelligence workers are supposed to conduct themselves. If it had been listed as a YA novel, I would have been more forgiving. But this Amazon vine selection was supposedly for "adult" readers and therefore is reviewed in that context.
The tone of this book and the character of Jordan Weiss, the main protagonist, remind me of movies I have had to endure with my daughter when the Olsen twins or Hilary Duff take on spy or intelligence work. Although Jordan has a degree in international relations and has a spotless reputation working in intelligence in the State Department, going to war-torn or sensitive areas like Monrovia, Bogota, Jakarta, and Montenegro, she behaves like an emotional basket case and feels "guilt rising in her" frequently for blundering from the hip and watching people get hurt or killed. She has never heard of the Kosovo Liberation Army and is unfamiliar with the conflicts in the Balkans, so she receives a two-minute history lesson from one of her colleagues. The book TELLS us she is the best and the brightest, but doesn't show us anything but a silly and indiscreet young woman still sobbing over the reported drowning of her boyfriend from college ten years ago. This colors everything she does and--oh, of course, it turns out to work in her favor. How did an emotionally labile woman handle dangerous missions for ten years?
She does not even think to google a man she is researching as a possible suspect or link to her assigned case, but her best friend, a civilian, does that. After some inner conflict, Jordan also decides to share classified information with this girl about the case she is working on "because she is now like one of us."
The writing is on a middle-school level. For example, she repeats the same cliched metaphors and similes. Information and guilt and the resulting emotions always seem to be hitting her stomach like a rock. Sometimes slamming her like a stone. This is predominantly cut and paste prose. Supposedly, this author has been either developing or writing this book for 10 years. And Jenoff is obviously an intelligent woman--she is a graduate of Cambridge University (like her protagonist). I often take an author's academic credentials into consideration when choosing a novel. I was confident that the narrative style would be textured and literary. But the writing is utterly juvenile.
This is equivalent to a more mature Nancy Drew book. I was expecting an intelligent, heady book blending literature with spy/intelligence work. I thought she was going to be as provocative as John Banville, John Le Carre, or Tana French. I was prepared for extended metaphors and lush imagery, as well as a healthy dose of irony. I did not expect this TV in a book. Very bad TV. And so earnest it made me wince when I was through cringing.
There are no literary elements to this novel unless you want to keep hearing the same tired figures of speech. And the behavior and approach to their work of these State Department colleagues is laughable. Additionally, as people die or are seriously injured, Jordan has "guilt rising up" but then, oh well. It has an "oh, dear!" tone to it. She comes across as fatuous and silly. There is no substance to this woman beyond the tragedy she suffered 10 years ago. Nothing in the elements of the story reflects Jordan's alleged intelligence or competence. She blindly breaks protocol and rules, but never really has a plan beyond the next few hours. She is on her own rogue mission, with the help of her dead boyfriend's best friend. But there may be a tie-in with her current assignment. Yet, she has no historical, political, or economic frame of reference. But, oh, yeah, she is the State Department's golden girl. She can do whatever she wants. And she does. She is not reflective or cautious with information or action. She reminds me of something akin to: Liz McGuire goes undercover. And the author just conveniently inserts heroic deeds or histories so that the reader KNOWS what a whipper-snapper Jordan is. It is heavy-handed and ludicrous.
I finished this book only because it was a vine selection for review. I would not recommend it for anyone beyond middle school.
It is obvious by the novel's end that a sequel is coming. "Oh, dear!"
The tone of this book and the character of Jordan Weiss, the main protagonist, remind me of movies I have had to endure with my daughter when the Olsen twins or Hilary Duff take on spy or intelligence work. Although Jordan has a degree in international relations and has a spotless reputation working in intelligence in the State Department, going to war-torn or sensitive areas like Monrovia, Bogota, Jakarta, and Montenegro, she behaves like an emotional basket case and feels "guilt rising in her" frequently for blundering from the hip and watching people get hurt or killed. She has never heard of the Kosovo Liberation Army and is unfamiliar with the conflicts in the Balkans, so she receives a two-minute history lesson from one of her colleagues. The book TELLS us she is the best and the brightest, but doesn't show us anything but a silly and indiscreet young woman still sobbing over the reported drowning of her boyfriend from college ten years ago. This colors everything she does and--oh, of course, it turns out to work in her favor. How did an emotionally labile woman handle dangerous missions for ten years?
She does not even think to google a man she is researching as a possible suspect or link to her assigned case, but her best friend, a civilian, does that. After some inner conflict, Jordan also decides to share classified information with this girl about the case she is working on "because she is now like one of us."
The writing is on a middle-school level. For example, she repeats the same cliched metaphors and similes. Information and guilt and the resulting emotions always seem to be hitting her stomach like a rock. Sometimes slamming her like a stone. This is predominantly cut and paste prose. Supposedly, this author has been either developing or writing this book for 10 years. And Jenoff is obviously an intelligent woman--she is a graduate of Cambridge University (like her protagonist). I often take an author's academic credentials into consideration when choosing a novel. I was confident that the narrative style would be textured and literary. But the writing is utterly juvenile.
This is equivalent to a more mature Nancy Drew book. I was expecting an intelligent, heady book blending literature with spy/intelligence work. I thought she was going to be as provocative as John Banville, John Le Carre, or Tana French. I was prepared for extended metaphors and lush imagery, as well as a healthy dose of irony. I did not expect this TV in a book. Very bad TV. And so earnest it made me wince when I was through cringing.
There are no literary elements to this novel unless you want to keep hearing the same tired figures of speech. And the behavior and approach to their work of these State Department colleagues is laughable. Additionally, as people die or are seriously injured, Jordan has "guilt rising up" but then, oh well. It has an "oh, dear!" tone to it. She comes across as fatuous and silly. There is no substance to this woman beyond the tragedy she suffered 10 years ago. Nothing in the elements of the story reflects Jordan's alleged intelligence or competence. She blindly breaks protocol and rules, but never really has a plan beyond the next few hours. She is on her own rogue mission, with the help of her dead boyfriend's best friend. But there may be a tie-in with her current assignment. Yet, she has no historical, political, or economic frame of reference. But, oh, yeah, she is the State Department's golden girl. She can do whatever she wants. And she does. She is not reflective or cautious with information or action. She reminds me of something akin to: Liz McGuire goes undercover. And the author just conveniently inserts heroic deeds or histories so that the reader KNOWS what a whipper-snapper Jordan is. It is heavy-handed and ludicrous.
I finished this book only because it was a vine selection for review. I would not recommend it for anyone beyond middle school.
It is obvious by the novel's end that a sequel is coming. "Oh, dear!"
January 8, 2015
Three and a half stars. Pam Jenoff was a new author for me. Jordan always swore she would never return to London and especially to Cambridge where she went to university. Ten years earlier her boyfriend Jared had drowned. Since then Jordan worked in various places of the world as an intelligence officer. Then Jordan receives a letter that precipitates a very quick change of plans. She is soon winging her way back to London.
I enjoyed this novel with its twists and turns and it was a good change of pace after some books I had been reading before it. It is a book that deals with intrigue, lies, murder and cover ups as well as the issue of human trafficking. I had figured out the end or at least parts of it before I got there but that didn’t present a problem. My biggest problem was with Jordan herself. For a supposedly intelligent woman she behaves at times like an addled teenager and I found her actions regarding her friend Sarah a little puzzling. For me, her actions didn’t quite match the value she claimed to put on that friendship. Not being one bit interested in rowing I found I tended to skim over some of those passages. That aside, I did enjoy it and found it a fast read. I will probably go back and read others by this author.
I enjoyed this novel with its twists and turns and it was a good change of pace after some books I had been reading before it. It is a book that deals with intrigue, lies, murder and cover ups as well as the issue of human trafficking. I had figured out the end or at least parts of it before I got there but that didn’t present a problem. My biggest problem was with Jordan herself. For a supposedly intelligent woman she behaves at times like an addled teenager and I found her actions regarding her friend Sarah a little puzzling. For me, her actions didn’t quite match the value she claimed to put on that friendship. Not being one bit interested in rowing I found I tended to skim over some of those passages. That aside, I did enjoy it and found it a fast read. I will probably go back and read others by this author.
January 14, 2024
I started this audiobook last night and made it
Several chapters in but I can’t finish it. The main character is unbearable. I wanted intrigue. Not teenage angst. I want to know what happens but not badly enough to endure this whining. 2 stars because the setting of this book is what I like in suspense novels. DNF
Several chapters in but I can’t finish it. The main character is unbearable. I wanted intrigue. Not teenage angst. I want to know what happens but not badly enough to endure this whining. 2 stars because the setting of this book is what I like in suspense novels. DNF
January 30, 2023
I’ve enjoyed some of the authors’ previous titles and was drawn to the synopsis of Almost Home. Ten years ago, U.S. State Department Intelligence Officer Jordan Weiss’ graduation from Cambridge was met with tragedy when her boyfriend, Jared, drowned in the River Cam. Jordan swore to never return to England, but a letter from a dear, terminally ill friend prompts a transfer. She now works for the American Office in London and is paired with Agent Sebastian Hodges.
Her new assignment is critical, and her partner is devilishly handsome. She is adapting when an old classmate tells her he believes Jarad was murdered. The tale that unfolds takes place in the present, but chapters take us back to Cambridge, the row team and her relationship with Jared.
The mystery was fantastic and quickly pulled me in. Jordan worked to solve both cases, as past and present blended and blurred. I struggled in the beginning with Jordan. I expected a much more confident personality, especially as an intelligence officer, but Jordan second guessed everything, and seemed to walk on eggshells.
We get romance, secrets, twists and some nail-biting moments of intrigue and danger. The last third of the audiobook had me completely hooked, and the ending left me counting the days until the next audio release.
Jennifer Jill Araya narrates and did a wonderful job of capturing the characters, suspense and tone of the tale. I am hoping she continues on the next audio. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Her new assignment is critical, and her partner is devilishly handsome. She is adapting when an old classmate tells her he believes Jarad was murdered. The tale that unfolds takes place in the present, but chapters take us back to Cambridge, the row team and her relationship with Jared.
The mystery was fantastic and quickly pulled me in. Jordan worked to solve both cases, as past and present blended and blurred. I struggled in the beginning with Jordan. I expected a much more confident personality, especially as an intelligence officer, but Jordan second guessed everything, and seemed to walk on eggshells.
We get romance, secrets, twists and some nail-biting moments of intrigue and danger. The last third of the audiobook had me completely hooked, and the ending left me counting the days until the next audio release.
Jennifer Jill Araya narrates and did a wonderful job of capturing the characters, suspense and tone of the tale. I am hoping she continues on the next audio. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
December 25, 2021
Rated 4.2
I got this book from the library to give me a break from historical fiction. Imagine my surprise when I learned much about WWII and the Albanians involvement in the theft of Nazi super funds that had been hidden after the war. Life at Cambridge on the rowing team was detailed and educational. Include a love story that is both touching and devastating. The twists and turns were unexpected up to the last chapter. Quick read that I enjoyed.
A breathtakingly poignant novel of suspense from one of fiction's newest leading voices.From bestselling author and Quill award nominee Pam Jenoff comes a rich, ambitious, and startling novel about a woman who must face a past she'd rather forget in order to uncover a dangerous legacy that threatens her future.
Ten years ago, American Jordan Weiss's idyllic experience as a graduate student and coxswain at Cambridge was shattered when her boyfriend and fellow crewmember, Jared Short, drowned in the River Cam the night before the biggest race of the year. Since that time, Jordan, a State Department intelligence officer, has traveled the world on dangerous assignments but has managed to avoid returning to face her painful memories in England. When her terminally ill friend Sarah asks her to come to London, though, Jordan finds herself requesting a transfer to the one place she swore she'd never go again.
In London, Jordan attempts to settle into her new life, pushing aside her haunting memories and taking on an urgent mission beside rakish agent Sebastian Hodges. Shortly after her arrival, just when she thinks there's hope for a fresh start in England, she is approached by a former college classmate who makes a startling assertion. He tells her that Jared's death was not an accident, but that he was murdered.
Jordan quickly learns that Jared's death was indeed not an accident, and that his research on World War II had uncovered a shameful secret. But powerful forces with everything to lose will stop at nothing to keep the past buried. Soon, Jordan finds herself in grave peril as she struggles to find the answers that lie treacherously close to home, the truth that threatens to change her life forever, and the love that makes it all worth fighting for.
It is a journey that sweeps readers across England and back in time to reveal the incalculable dangers that lie in the wake of war. Fast-paced and impossible to put down, "Almost Home" establishes Pam Jenoff as one of the best new writers in the genre.
I got this book from the library to give me a break from historical fiction. Imagine my surprise when I learned much about WWII and the Albanians involvement in the theft of Nazi super funds that had been hidden after the war. Life at Cambridge on the rowing team was detailed and educational. Include a love story that is both touching and devastating. The twists and turns were unexpected up to the last chapter. Quick read that I enjoyed.
A breathtakingly poignant novel of suspense from one of fiction's newest leading voices.From bestselling author and Quill award nominee Pam Jenoff comes a rich, ambitious, and startling novel about a woman who must face a past she'd rather forget in order to uncover a dangerous legacy that threatens her future.
Ten years ago, American Jordan Weiss's idyllic experience as a graduate student and coxswain at Cambridge was shattered when her boyfriend and fellow crewmember, Jared Short, drowned in the River Cam the night before the biggest race of the year. Since that time, Jordan, a State Department intelligence officer, has traveled the world on dangerous assignments but has managed to avoid returning to face her painful memories in England. When her terminally ill friend Sarah asks her to come to London, though, Jordan finds herself requesting a transfer to the one place she swore she'd never go again.
In London, Jordan attempts to settle into her new life, pushing aside her haunting memories and taking on an urgent mission beside rakish agent Sebastian Hodges. Shortly after her arrival, just when she thinks there's hope for a fresh start in England, she is approached by a former college classmate who makes a startling assertion. He tells her that Jared's death was not an accident, but that he was murdered.
Jordan quickly learns that Jared's death was indeed not an accident, and that his research on World War II had uncovered a shameful secret. But powerful forces with everything to lose will stop at nothing to keep the past buried. Soon, Jordan finds herself in grave peril as she struggles to find the answers that lie treacherously close to home, the truth that threatens to change her life forever, and the love that makes it all worth fighting for.
It is a journey that sweeps readers across England and back in time to reveal the incalculable dangers that lie in the wake of war. Fast-paced and impossible to put down, "Almost Home" establishes Pam Jenoff as one of the best new writers in the genre.
February 26, 2011
Jordan Weiss is a State Department intelligence officer who has traveled the world on top secret missions. After receiving a letter from her friend Sarah, who suffers from ALS, Jordan must return to London, the one place she vowed never to set foot again. Once there, her world is turned upside down as lingering doubts concerning the disaster that occurred 10 years previously comes back to haunt her. She can no longer rest until she discovers what really happened. Meanwhile, her assignment at London's State Department turns out to be more dangerous than expected, and she works with fellow agents Sebastian and Sophie to take down the mob. Many twists and turns later, the story unravels and the mystery is solved.
This book had some good parts, which made reading it bearable, but the look on my face as I was reading is the same as the face above. I have previously stated (though I'm not sure to whom) that the most important part of a book, is the character development and that is where this book goes horribly wrong. Jordan is supposed to be a State Department intelligence officer who has been on many dangerous missions and who is supposed to be sought after by others around the world. Nothing in this novel supports that characterization. In fact, Jordan seems lost, wishy-washy (is that a word), confused, naive, and unskilled. In addition, there were too many things going on in the book. None of the events in the book seem to fit together and I found myself skeptical the entire time.
On a positive note, the descriptions of Cambridge and various other locales were vivid and well-written. I thoroughly enjoyed the last twenty pages of the book and found myself sitting on the edge of my seat. This, however, was not enough to compensate for the rest of the book. There is a sequel called A Hidden Affair by Pam Jenoff. I am reluctant to read it, but the end of this book really has me curious to see what happens.
This book had some good parts, which made reading it bearable, but the look on my face as I was reading is the same as the face above. I have previously stated (though I'm not sure to whom) that the most important part of a book, is the character development and that is where this book goes horribly wrong. Jordan is supposed to be a State Department intelligence officer who has been on many dangerous missions and who is supposed to be sought after by others around the world. Nothing in this novel supports that characterization. In fact, Jordan seems lost, wishy-washy (is that a word), confused, naive, and unskilled. In addition, there were too many things going on in the book. None of the events in the book seem to fit together and I found myself skeptical the entire time.
On a positive note, the descriptions of Cambridge and various other locales were vivid and well-written. I thoroughly enjoyed the last twenty pages of the book and found myself sitting on the edge of my seat. This, however, was not enough to compensate for the rest of the book. There is a sequel called A Hidden Affair by Pam Jenoff. I am reluctant to read it, but the end of this book really has me curious to see what happens.
March 11, 2010
Atmospheric, cerebral and exciting, Pam Jenoff’s rollicking Almost Home kept me on the edge of my seat from page one. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from a novel filled with so many elements — romance, murder, grief, passion, suspense, family — but Jenoff’s masterful use of description and language dropped me in the middle of each scene and refused to let me out.
As a reader, a novel’s setting — and the way in which it’s described — can make or break a book for me. In the case of Almost Home, the sense of place couldn’t have been more perfect or artfully described. As an Anglophile, I eagerly consumed Jenoff’s descriptions of England and British culture. And as the novel opens in Washington, my hometown, I could easily picture everywhere Jordan was traversing, giving the book added authenticity.
The mysteries embedded in the plot — plentiful, complicated — are what kept me up reading until 3 a.m. and up again just four hours later to finish. Jenoff dispenses enough information at each twist for us to feel like we’re “getting somewhere,” only to then flip around and unmask another complication. And Jordan’s character, while sometimes prickly, was someone I admired, respected and rooted for.
Every reader will come to Almost Home with a different expectation — mystery, thriller, women’s fiction, historical fiction, British fiction — and probably find their needs met, as I did. Can't wait for Hidden Things, the sequel.
As a reader, a novel’s setting — and the way in which it’s described — can make or break a book for me. In the case of Almost Home, the sense of place couldn’t have been more perfect or artfully described. As an Anglophile, I eagerly consumed Jenoff’s descriptions of England and British culture. And as the novel opens in Washington, my hometown, I could easily picture everywhere Jordan was traversing, giving the book added authenticity.
The mysteries embedded in the plot — plentiful, complicated — are what kept me up reading until 3 a.m. and up again just four hours later to finish. Jenoff dispenses enough information at each twist for us to feel like we’re “getting somewhere,” only to then flip around and unmask another complication. And Jordan’s character, while sometimes prickly, was someone I admired, respected and rooted for.
Every reader will come to Almost Home with a different expectation — mystery, thriller, women’s fiction, historical fiction, British fiction — and probably find their needs met, as I did. Can't wait for Hidden Things, the sequel.
June 28, 2010
I really enjoyed this book from start to finish, and found myself wanting the story to go on when I reached the last page. I don't want to spoil the ending but it definitely makes me want to see a follow-up novel of Jordan's searching adventures or the continuation of a budding romance that survived the chaos. The only part of the book that lost me a little were the very long flashbacks into the college days. I skimmed through a bit of those so I may have missed something important but felt they were too lengthy to be necessary to the plot. I think the pages could have been used to build the main plot more, expanding on Sophie, Sebastian, Duncan, Vance and Maureen. While they were all essential to the climax, little was done to build on their supporting roles which I think would have added to the intrigue. I also feel Vance's ending role was quickly swept under the written rug as there was minimal aftermath shown, to my dismay. At any rate, it was a good read that makes me want a follow-up novel to tie up all the loose ends!
November 5, 2010
I really, really liked this book. It tells the story of Jordan Weiss, an intel officer for the State Department, who takes an assignment in London to help an ailing friend. This will be the first time that Jordan has been back in that country since the tragic drowning death of her grad school boyfriend, Jared. Once she gets over there, she is called on by another friend from her grad school days who believes that Jared's death was no accident. Meanwhile, she is called in to investigate a dangerous Albanian crime syndicate for work.
I had liked some of Pam Jenoff's other works, which is why I picked up this book. The story is engaging and I couldn't get to the end fast enough to see how everything came together. I would love to see a sequel to this book (what happened to Jordan and Jared after London?). Definitely a good read!
I had liked some of Pam Jenoff's other works, which is why I picked up this book. The story is engaging and I couldn't get to the end fast enough to see how everything came together. I would love to see a sequel to this book (what happened to Jordan and Jared after London?). Definitely a good read!
February 28, 2019
This was what most would call an average read and I would have to agree. At the start of the story, the main character Jordan asks to be transferred from her State Department job in the U.S. to London because her best friend is gravely ill. Once there, she quickly gets pulled into the possibility of her Cambridge college boyfriend from 10 years ago being murdered instead of drowning. It has all the normal twists, turns, and deceptions of who can you trust and who can’t you trust. The ending has a major reveal that leads into the author’s sequel. Since I already have that book and this one wasn’t bad, I am going to go ahead and read it next.
June 15, 2019
this book had been sitting in a stack for years What took me so long to pick it up? it is entertaining, intelligent, twisty and features good characters. I cannot wait to read the next one in the series. Thanks, Simon and Schuster for sending it to me and sorry that I took so long to read it.
August 10, 2023
Very suspenseful. Really good.
December 13, 2011
Almost Home is the story of Jordan Weiss who is an American Diplomat and her inability to hide from the past. Ever since her college boyfriend drowned, she has been traveling the world for work and doing everything in her power not to have a home. When a sick friend needs her help she is forced back to London where she comes face to face with her past.
Jordan is an easy character to love. While this book is fiction, Jordan could very easily exist and I think we would be good friends actually. She is trapped between her present life and the emotional train wreck of her past. While finishing her graduate work at Cambridge, she fell head over heels for Jared who was another graduate student. They had a unique love, a true love however short it was. After returning to London 10 years later, another college friend Chris gets her involved in investigating the truth behind Jared's untimely death.
They are taken on this crazy journey to find the truth (which by the way is nothing like what you would expect). This is my third book from Pam Jenoff and it is a good book, plain and simple. I find her books very easy to read and enjoyable. They will keep your interest, but are possible to put down. I think my favorite type of books are ones that I am extremely involved in, but I can put down and go about my life without constantly thinking about what is happening next. Almost Home will keep your attention and you will feel a connection to its characters.
There is always something farfetched about Jenoff's novels, but that is what makes it so intriguing. The twists and turns can seem unlikely, but yet plausible at the same time. It is this plausibility which makes me continue to read more from her. I think my biggest problem with this book was its ending because it left me wanting so much more. The good thing is there is more. The sequel to this book is called A Hidden Affair and if the library was open at 10:30 at night on Sundays I would be reading that book right now. I can't wait to finish Jordan's story. I know I won't be disappointed.
Jordan is an easy character to love. While this book is fiction, Jordan could very easily exist and I think we would be good friends actually. She is trapped between her present life and the emotional train wreck of her past. While finishing her graduate work at Cambridge, she fell head over heels for Jared who was another graduate student. They had a unique love, a true love however short it was. After returning to London 10 years later, another college friend Chris gets her involved in investigating the truth behind Jared's untimely death.
They are taken on this crazy journey to find the truth (which by the way is nothing like what you would expect). This is my third book from Pam Jenoff and it is a good book, plain and simple. I find her books very easy to read and enjoyable. They will keep your interest, but are possible to put down. I think my favorite type of books are ones that I am extremely involved in, but I can put down and go about my life without constantly thinking about what is happening next. Almost Home will keep your attention and you will feel a connection to its characters.
There is always something farfetched about Jenoff's novels, but that is what makes it so intriguing. The twists and turns can seem unlikely, but yet plausible at the same time. It is this plausibility which makes me continue to read more from her. I think my biggest problem with this book was its ending because it left me wanting so much more. The good thing is there is more. The sequel to this book is called A Hidden Affair and if the library was open at 10:30 at night on Sundays I would be reading that book right now. I can't wait to finish Jordan's story. I know I won't be disappointed.
July 13, 2017
After reading Pam Jenoff's WWII series, "The Kommandant's Girl", "The Diplomat's Wife" and "The Ambassador's Daughter", all of which were excellent, I was excited to read "Almost Home". While I'll stop short of saying it was a disappointment, I was by no means as gripped by it as I was by those former three. "Almost Home" is a story about Jordan Weiss, an employee of the U.S. Embassy, who asks for a transfer to a post in London to help her best friend, Sarah, who has been diagnosed with ALS. Sarah lived in England during her college years, when she attended one of the colleges that make up Cambridge, and was a member of the rowing team. There is a lot of information about Ivy League rowing, which I wasn't overly interested in, but since it formed the backdrop of the story, I suppose it was necessary. Almost immediately upon her return, Sarah is given a diplomatic investigative assignment and is also contacted by a former schoolmate, the best friend of her college sweetheart, to help him look into the circumstances surrounding her boyfriend's death, then deemed an accidental drowning. Of course, these two events end up overlapping. Jordan is almost constantly in danger or putting someone else in danger. The surprise ending wasn't that much of a surprise to me, as everyone is ruled out one by one, leaving just one final suspect. To sum it up in one word, "Meh." Especially when compared to her other books.
July 22, 2019
Only getting the second star because I did finish it. But why? Why did I finish it because imho this thing is a hot mess of incredulity. Packed with editing errors .... that's probably why I finished it, for the thrill of the chase.
On page 176, our unbelievably dim heroine, while visiting a friend of an evening, receives a call and arranges a meeting thusly phrased, "How about tomorrow after work?” - she departs her friend Sarah's house shortly thereafter and while bathing suddenly notices a tattoo she got with her tragically deceased lover, really. Suddenly. She then takes a trip down memory lane and gets some sleep. Next day, does some work at the office, receives a useful email from her friend Sarah, containing research, mentioning nothing about being attracted to any men (I checked). Later she arrives at the meeting (that one scheduled for the following day), after work.
On page 196 we read, " ...The two men Sarah suggested I might like, just an hour earlier."
Another favorite, "But in the mornings I awaken in the mornings to ..."
Dumb, it was just dumb. You win some and lose some when you shop the friends of the library cart. At least it only cost a buck.
On page 176, our unbelievably dim heroine, while visiting a friend of an evening, receives a call and arranges a meeting thusly phrased, "How about tomorrow after work?” - she departs her friend Sarah's house shortly thereafter and while bathing suddenly notices a tattoo she got with her tragically deceased lover, really. Suddenly. She then takes a trip down memory lane and gets some sleep. Next day, does some work at the office, receives a useful email from her friend Sarah, containing research, mentioning nothing about being attracted to any men (I checked). Later she arrives at the meeting (that one scheduled for the following day), after work.
On page 196 we read, " ...The two men Sarah suggested I might like, just an hour earlier."
Another favorite, "But in the mornings I awaken in the mornings to ..."
Dumb, it was just dumb. You win some and lose some when you shop the friends of the library cart. At least it only cost a buck.
June 10, 2013
This book was not good. We were TOLD repeatedly that the heroine of the book was a badass, but we were SHOWN that she was a complete moron. If I started getting into specifics, this would become a really long review. (See switterbug's review if you'd like to know the extent of the problems with this book- and if you'd like a good laugh!)
Additionally, the book was poorly edited, both from a grammar and a content/continuity standpoint. I read passages out loud to my family so that we could all laugh- even my 7-year-old daughter was entertained by phrases like, "But in the morning when I woke in the morning he was gone."
Sometimes when you pick up a random book off a sale rack, you find a gem. But sometimes you find an "Almost Home" instead. Fingers crossed for the next time!
Additionally, the book was poorly edited, both from a grammar and a content/continuity standpoint. I read passages out loud to my family so that we could all laugh- even my 7-year-old daughter was entertained by phrases like, "But in the morning when I woke in the morning he was gone."
Sometimes when you pick up a random book off a sale rack, you find a gem. But sometimes you find an "Almost Home" instead. Fingers crossed for the next time!
March 8, 2016
10 yrs ago Jordan was a graduate student at Cambridge. Her life was great til her boyfriend, Jared drowned in the River Cam, the night before their big race. She was a coxswain and he was a crewmember. Since then Jordan joined The State Department as an Intelligence Officer. She has had many dangerous assignments. She returns to England to be by the side of her terminally ill friend. Shortly after her arrival she is approached by a former college classmate, also her former boyfriend's best friend. He tells her Jared's death was not an accident but he was murdered. After much investigation they find out the truth and Jordan finds her life in jeopardy. I found this fast paced and had you wondering til the end who is the bad guy and who is the good guy.
January 18, 2010
I read this book in a little over a day. I couldn't put it down - it's a fast-paced mystery/thriller, involving a spy and England: what more could I ask for?
Jordan Weiss, an intelligence officer for the State Department, departs to England to see an ailing friend, and take on a new assignment investigating the Albanian mob. But when she arrives, a friend from the past asks her help in discovering what really happened to Jordan's old flame, who reportedly drowned...but new evidence suggests otherwise.
Full of twists and turns, even the most well-read thriller readers will be surprised at the multiple changing directions this novel has. Oh, and did I mention there's a sequel?
Jordan Weiss, an intelligence officer for the State Department, departs to England to see an ailing friend, and take on a new assignment investigating the Albanian mob. But when she arrives, a friend from the past asks her help in discovering what really happened to Jordan's old flame, who reportedly drowned...but new evidence suggests otherwise.
Full of twists and turns, even the most well-read thriller readers will be surprised at the multiple changing directions this novel has. Oh, and did I mention there's a sequel?
January 22, 2012
Sorry but I thought it was awful! Was recommended by a friend but I found the main character so annoying, she hardly did a scrap of work during the novel and spent her time pining after a lost boyfriend or running away from important meetings and into the arms of the nearest man! And the long tedious passages about rowing were really dull. Not for me.
July 3, 2016
I love Pam Jenoff's writing and this was another wonderful example of feeling immersed in the story. Cambridge, near London, England was an historic educational setting for the fast paced, heart racing intrigue and diplomatic adventure. I would always recommend her books. They deliver solid value every time.
August 6, 2019
I couldn't finish this one. To be a supposedly "super spy" Jordie was one scattered, ridiculous, woman. They talk about life and death situations that she was bad-ass in in the past but the present story does not support that at all. I'm so tired of books where the strong, fierce, female lead suddenly becomes an incompetent idiot.
June 4, 2019
I've read other books by this author and I really enjoy her writing. This is a suspenseful story with the right amount of romance mixed in with a few twists & turns. Really enjoyed this story and can't wait to read the sequel "A Hidden Affair".
July 9, 2017
Review to follow.
July 11, 2024
3.5
for someone who's supposed to be one of the best and most capable state dept intelligence officers, this girl is so dumb. I like the plot but the main character is annoying
for someone who's supposed to be one of the best and most capable state dept intelligence officers, this girl is so dumb. I like the plot but the main character is annoying
April 8, 2023
One of Pam Jenoff’s earlier novels, this was a quick mystery read which was entertaining for the most part. For an intelligence agent, I found the main character Jordan Weiss somewhat naive but then judgement can be clouded when personal feelings are involved. Narrated across dual time lines, the main focus of the story is set in Cambridge and features some interesting writing about the river and the university rowing teams. There is a sequel which I will probably read.
October 11, 2023
More than a 3 but less than a 4. I guessed the plot early on and was correct on the end of the story. C’est La vie 🤷♀️
October 29, 2018
I think Pam Jenoff should stick to historical fiction. This book about a State Department employee (nothing is ever established about her actual identity, but I'm going with CIA spy) has her moving to London to be closer to a sick friend. Luckily she and her team are given an investigation that leads back to her old rowing team at Cambridge. Because of course it does. Jordan has a highly classified mission but she brings paperwork home in her bag to read later. She does virtually nothing in her job, choosing instead to pursue an investigation into an ex-boyfriend's death. She doesn't seem that bright although Jenoff tells us she is. Also, she's not a very good friend to Sarah, who was the reason she moved to London in the first place. I'll stick to Jenoff's other works which I've enjoyed.
November 13, 2020
I was glad i wasn’t the only reader who found this book ridiculous. A seasoned field agent turns her back on the ambassador she’s just met and runs out of an embassy party, then runs away from a man she’s just met and kissed, all in the first 20 pages, because of a heartbreak that happened ten years ago. Ten years! I mean I’ve heard of eternal love, but this woman has been obsessed for 1/3 of her life. We’re supposed to think she’s a bad-ass who’s really good at her job, but she ignores that, too, while chasing around Cambridge. And the writing is of the “first we got in the car, then we drove to the airport, then we got out of the car and
took our bags out of the trunk, then we entered the building, etc.” style favored by freshman creative writing students. So tedious. Not worth the time.
took our bags out of the trunk, then we entered the building, etc.” style favored by freshman creative writing students. So tedious. Not worth the time.
March 1, 2009
I have read all three of Pam Jenoff's books and each one gets better and better. From start to finish this book kept you edge. The twists and turns kept me going until the surprise ending.
I love her books and look forward to her next one.
I love her books and look forward to her next one.
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