Lead Me Home

by Shannon O'Brien

A confidant to all who need her, Rose Pruitt is a familiar face at Jones University thanks to her years of dedicated service at the Campus Center. Only a few days into the new school year, Rose finds herself cleaning up all kinds of messes, including one that involves a newcomer to campus—Professor Allison Chandler. Although their first encounter is all business, the two women soon discover an easy rapport and attraction that neither can deny.
Hurdles abound as the two women face challenges both separately and together. Can they get beyond the obstacles and potential disaster they face? Only time will tell in this timeless romance by author Shannon O’Brien.

Genre: Romance
Editor: Ann Roberts
Cover Designer: Pol Robinson

Genres: Lesbian, LGBT, Adult

250 pages, Paperback

Published February 16, 2021

About the author

Shannon O’Brien is a proud Pennsylvanian, although she currently lives in Dublin, Ireland. A Smith College alumna, she spends most of her time as a Props Master and Set Designer for various theatre companies and productions around the world. She can also be heard as the co-host of Blondes With Glasses, a feminist and pop culture podcast currently in its second year. Her last time writing an ‘About the Author’ blurb was for a stage prop at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. That one was considerably easier.

Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Lex Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars. This was a nice romance. This is a good book for people who want a feel good romance that is very low angst. It’s very readable and while this is not a book that a whole lot happens, the book is well written and it easily kept my attention as a reader. I sometimes have issues with slower paced books, especially romances, but the story never dragged and I was actually sad when it ended. I could have easily read more.

For those of you familiar with my reviews, you will know I don’t like reading books out of order. I did not know that this was actually a sequel to O’Brien’s first book, Sing Me Home. These two books were written five years apart and her debut went under my radar. I’m very happy to say that you can read this book without reading book one. While the couple from the first book does make a short cameo, this book really is all about the new relationship. Now that I know I do like O’Brien’s writing, and this world she created, I might go back and read her first book but not reading it didn’t affect any of my enjoyment.

I’m not sure what it is about stories that take place at colleges or universities, but I love that academic feel. I was also really happy that this wasn’t just a professor/student romance. It seems like at least 75% of the books that take place at a college has that pairing so it’s was nice to see a different romance here. The setting was great, at an all-women’s school (inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community) and I found it really easy to instantly become immersed into the story.

While I loved the setting, the star of the book is of course the romance. I would not call it slow-burn or insta love, instead it went at a good middle pace. While I might have thought they jumped in bed a tad early (for the romance book world) I liked that they slowly developed a friendship before a relationship. The romance had a bit of steam that I was not expecting. I don’t know if I was thinking more reserved since one character was a professor, but the sex scenes had some passion and a bit of an exhibition flare. I enjoyed the combo of sweet but with a bit of steam.

The book is very low angst, it is so low that you could almost say no angst. But, while there is no real angst, it doesn’t mean there was not conflict that the characters face. I liked the conflict and it added a little boost that kept me turning the pages since I wanted to know what would happen. As someone who can get tiered of the same ole type of angst, I like that O’Brien went a different way. I love when authors mix it up.

Overall, this is one that I enjoyed. If you are looking for a romance with almost no angst, but still want a story that is very readable and doesn’t drag, this would be a good choice. If you like a collegiate setting with a sweet romance and a little steam, you have come to the right place. This was a nice read and I would read O’Brien again.

A copy was given to me for a honest review.

[pipsqueakreviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heartwarming romance but it's not for me.

This is a rather straightforward romance between a university cafe manager and a new professor. Rose takes an interest in Allison and asks the professor out. Allison reciprocates the interest and they go out. I think Allison wanted casual but got swept into the whole girlfriend thing. Somewhere along the way, there are injects relating to an ex and a homophobic colleague.

This is the type of book that is considered heartwarming and it doesn't evoke much emotions. It also has a set of racially diversed characters, so it's cool for people who like to be inclusive.

Personally, I'm not quite sure I like this one. It's the storytelling that's a little bland for my taste so I wasn't able to get into the story as much as I would have liked to and the characters felt older than they actually were.

Rose also frequently mentions/thinks of her ex and literally blames her for everything she failed to achieve in life. Honestly, I don't think that's fair at all and if that's how she's going to take a breakup for ten whole years, I'm relieved that the ex managed to cut her loose those years ago.

I received an ARC from Bella Books through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Pin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lead Me Home is a sweet and charming romance. Low in angst and slightly slow in pace, but overall quite satisfying. The setting, Jones University -- a small town all-female college, is the same as in the author's debut, Sing Me Home. Rose, one of the main characters here, was a secondary character there, and the mains from it are mentioned here, but although I have not read Sing me Home, I can safely say that this reads perfectly fine as a standalone story.
I really liked the protagonists, Rose and Allison, so even though I generally like more romantic conflict between characters and a somewhat faster paced narrative, these two women make this romance nice and satisfying.

3.5 stars
February 16, 2021
*A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.*

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars. This is a very sweet romance set in a College environment.

Rose has worked at Jones University ever since she graduated. She’s the cafe manager, enjoying her role, especially working with the students in her employment, but perhaps missing something she can never quite manage to put her finger on.

Allison is a new professor to the University, chairing a new department - landscape studies. She needs to convince studies to major in her area whilst dealing with moving to a new area and being a department chair for the first time.

They hit it off quickly through their interactions at the cafe and the main narrative of the storyline is them getting to know each other and their friendship blossoming into a relationship. There are a few twists and turns along the way that keep things interesting and I really liked the two of them together.

I enjoyed the descriptions of landscape studies and its relevance to things in life that I definitely hadn’t ever considered before.

The humour added to the narrative through the students and the situations at the Cafe added some enjoyment to the book for me, and I appreciated the diversity of the students, even with it being a women’s college.

I hadn’t read O’Brien before but I’m definitely inclined to read her other book set in the same universe as this one. If you’re a contemporary romance fan you should enjoy this one. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel but is an enjoyable way to pass the time.

I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover of Lead Me Home by Shannon O’Brien is the perfect visual for the emotions I felt while reading this novel. It is a beautiful, gentle, easy to read tale that you can’t help but enjoy.
This book tells the love story of Rose Pruitt who is the manager of the Campus Center Café at Jones University, and Professor Allison Chandler, the new department head in the field of Landscape Studies. The two women meet at the café and gradually get to know each other through the fall semester.

At first glance, you wouldn’t think these two characters would fit together as a couple. Rose is a gregarious, talkative person, always laughing and joking around with her workers, customers, family and friends. She is as kind as she is popular. Allison, on the other hand, is more introverted, serious, and empathetic. She is also dedicated to her work and students. Together, though, they have a spark that is undeniable. I connected with both characters immediately, which is good since this is definitely a character-driven story. The small town university setting is perfect for this tale and these characters. This is a fairly low angst tale though there are some hurdles that could bring their budding romance to an end.

I believe this is the perfect novel to settle down with after a hard day, week, or year. This story left me in a happy mood at the end, and I think it might do the same for you.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.

[MJSam · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read anything by this author before and thought this was just ok. It’s a somewhat slow burn romance featuring Rose, who runs a cafe at the college she used to attend and Alison a new professor at the college. They meet through the cafe and strike up a friendship that eventually becomes a romance.

Rose has hang ups about not having gone far in life, due mostly to her ex dumping her. This would have made more sense if this had been recent, but it was 10 years ago and the fact that Rose still clung to it was just sad.

Alison was a more interesting character and I liked the side plot with her TA, but not the homophobic colleague plot. Rose’s sister was also good, if only for pointing out how lame Rose was about her ex. There were some other side characters, but they didn’t add much.

The ‘lapse in judgement’ and subsequent ‘drama’ portion in the book was also mostly eye roll inducing. Overall this was just an average read, nothing overly horrible, but not great either. 3 stars.

[Althea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 Stars

Lead Me Home is a really fun and sweet romance that I flew through in the space of an evening! I really enjoyed Shannon O'Brien's light, witty prose and I was so pleasantly surprised that the conflict that occurred in this book had nothing to do with the relationship between the two characters. Speaking of, I really enjoyed both Rose and Allison as main characters and even the side characters felt fully fleshed out and I loved reading their interactions. The only reasons I removed a star and a half are because I felt like the sex scenes were a bit out of place and I never really felt any sexual tension between the two main characters, and because the last quarter of the book or so had a different tone to it, and I preferred the low angst of the first half. Regardless, this was a fun, quick read and I'll definitely be checking out this author's other book!

Thanks to Netgalley and Bella Books for an eARC in return for an honest review!

[MEC]

3.25 to 3.5

If you're looking for a character-driven romance without a lot of action or angst, Lead Me Home is a nice Sunday read. The novel focuses on the budding relationship between Rose Pruitt, manager of the Campus Cafe and Professor Allison Chandler, a new arrival at the college who is creating a new department of Landscape Studies.

The relationship and character development is well-paced and I found myself engaged by the two mains and their budding romance. Although the books was told from both women's POV, there's more of Rose and her character arc as she lets go of the self doubt that is making her question her ecision to stay at Jones after graduation. There's a natural build from acquaintances to more throughout the story and; once they get the "more", there's more than enough chemistry built up between the two. Even when we get to the dramatic external obstacle, the characters withstand the test and are supportive and communicate. The situation could have been handled with a lot more angst, but the characters felt real and their actions and reactions reflected that.

If anything, I would have enjoyed a bit more on Allison's discipline - I admit that I though Landscape Studies as it sounds like a rather fascinating blend of Humanities and Engineering with more than just studying the gardens of Versailles, but also looking at human's interaction with nature on environmental, economic and other levels. It kind of appealed to the geek in me.

[Bee Sherrard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professor Allison Chandler has been given the chance to chair a new course on Landscape Studies, at the all women’s Jones University. This was not going to be an easy task. One hurdle was Professor Mannes, the chair of the Department of Architecture who was of the opinion that her department should be under his department, even though he thought it was a waste of time. Now the bright side was when Toni introduced herself, telling Allison that she was her TA. One other thing makes this adventure more appealing and that was the friendly and attractive manager of the on campus café.
Rose Pruitt graduated from Jones University a few years back. Keeping her job was important to Rose. She loved working with the students, even if some were a little messy at first. Another highlight, her sister Iris lived close by. Now this year she gets to meet the very attractive Professor Chandler. Rose and Allison don’t appear to have that much in common but as time goes on they find more and more reasons to be drawn together.
This is just what it meant to be, an easy romance. Nice story. Now some of you might think a nice read isn’t all that interesting but Ms O’Brien tells a story that you can’t walk away from. Characters that hopefully we’ll at some time be able to visit these ladies again.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bella Books

[Jo reece]

'Lead me home is not a bad story, but if you're wanting some action or angst then this isn't your book. It's a very plain romance book, which is perfect when you've had a hectic week and you just want to relax and sit back with a glass or 2 of wine.
The book is about honesty and learning to trust one another. The characters are bubbly and very likable. To be honest, I would like to see a sequel of them in them living in the future.

Rose Pruitt is a familiar face on Jones University campus. Into the first few days of the school year, Rose finds herself cleaning up all kinds of messes, including the new professor known as Allison Chandler. Their first encounter with one another is purely business, the two women discover an attraction that neither one of them can deny. Challenges arise for the pair, But it's up to them to overcome the hurdles and see if they can get through it together.


I've not read anything previous of the author Shannon O'Brien, but really am looking forward to future read by her.
I give 'Lead me home' 3.5.
I was given a copy for an honest review.

[Aleana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose has been working at the campus cafe for years at Jones University’s she loves her job but she wants more.

Alison is the new Professor at the college she overwhelmed but is determined have her department succeed.

Rose and Alison meet and bond and a friendship is form they turn into a attraction as they both get to know each other there are some hurdles they go through together and apart but they both do overcome them.

This was ok read, I like the relationship Rose has with her sister and even her employers.


I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gentle, low angst romance. At Jones University, an all-girls college, Allison Chandler is the new department head for Landscape Studies. As she gets acclimated to the small college town she meets Rose Pruitt. Rose graduated from Jones 15 years before but never left. She now manages the cafe at the campus center. Rose accidentally invites Allison to the Thanksgiving dinner she hosts for her employees who don't go home for the holiday. After not being in a relationship for years she boldly asks Allison for a date.

I was expecting a little more humor or drama. Instead it's a nice romance of two women becoming friends and then more. I think Allison was originally wanting a bed buddy but she is charmed by Rose's friendliness to everyone. Rose is overcoming insecurities of her past but wants a relationship. I think the jump to being girlfriends and having feelings felt a little abrupt. Overall a pleasant story. It is the second from the author using this setting but the story stands alone. Thank you NetGalley and Bella Books for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars rounding up)

[Rosi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story has been fine, though it stayed in the sort of normal, ordinary romances, for my liking. The two protagonists are nice, maybe Rose a little more than Allison. But there has been something strange throughout the book, a kind of status difference, I just didn’t understand why Rose gave up a career for which she seemed prepared enough, just out of disappointment? When a person has the ability to create, in any form, they should not leave everything behind, as Rose seems to have done here. Maybe that’s why I found this story a little hard to like.

Leaving that aside, once the two meet they seem to be predestined to be together, also perhaps because the women around them are much younger and they are almost the only middle-aged lesbians available.

And the rest of Alisson's fellow university professors don't appear much in the story and when they do it's not for positive things. And to top it all off, the misunderstanding that is the cause of the final drama is almost hilarious and you see it coming.

Therefore, for me has been an average romance.

Publisher Bella Books was kind enough to provide me with an advanced reading copy via Netgalley for my honest review

[Doug Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a mostly low-angst romance with a sweet meet-cute. The melodramatic turn at the three-quarter point seems a little out of place. The token bad guy is a homophobic, misogynistic professor who is apparently free to bring baseless allegations against other faculty members without fear of professional repercussions. It all works out with the expected HEA.