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The Road Home
Autumn, 2001. In a surreal and subdued New York City, in which many workers are taking time off or opting into therapy, thirty-five-year-old software engineer and film fanatic Stephanie Willis is coping in her own unique way – by chain-watching classic VHS movies in her one-bed midtown apartment.
Once bedazzled by the bright lights, Stephanie is bewildered as to how she has ended up so alone in such a big city. But the time has now come to throw herself back into her career: a game in which she, as the sole woman at a male-dominated table, is already bending under the weight of a loaded deck.
Fortunately for Stephanie, help is on hand. She is aided by an unparalleled support network – one comprised of fictional characters, summoned from her favourite movies – to help her navigate her personal and professional crisis. Rose from Titanic is showing her how to be a survivor; Tess from 1988’s Working Girl is giving her (questionable) career advice; Vivienne from Pretty Woman is providing (even more questionable) dating tips; while Gregory Peck and Shirley MacLaine have stepped in to offer the parental wisdom missing throughout her upbringing in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
And so when a hopeful career opportunity and handsome new colleague both present themselves, and she is once more faced with the expectations and limitations of sex and society, Stephanie must decide who she wants to be, how she demands to be treated, and just where she wants to call home
Once bedazzled by the bright lights, Stephanie is bewildered as to how she has ended up so alone in such a big city. But the time has now come to throw herself back into her career: a game in which she, as the sole woman at a male-dominated table, is already bending under the weight of a loaded deck.
Fortunately for Stephanie, help is on hand. She is aided by an unparalleled support network – one comprised of fictional characters, summoned from her favourite movies – to help her navigate her personal and professional crisis. Rose from Titanic is showing her how to be a survivor; Tess from 1988’s Working Girl is giving her (questionable) career advice; Vivienne from Pretty Woman is providing (even more questionable) dating tips; while Gregory Peck and Shirley MacLaine have stepped in to offer the parental wisdom missing throughout her upbringing in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
And so when a hopeful career opportunity and handsome new colleague both present themselves, and she is once more faced with the expectations and limitations of sex and society, Stephanie must decide who she wants to be, how she demands to be treated, and just where she wants to call home
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 7, 2021
49 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 20, 2021
A surprising fiction that’s faithful to life itself…
At its dual core, The Road Home by Laura Tonwe is about a woman coming to terms with the aftermath of 9/11 and figuring out how to forge a future for herself. It’s an exceptionally well written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are so expertly woven in this poignant yet humorous contemporary fiction that it guarantees the attention of the reader.
I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of quirky plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the story in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much.
The story had every element a good story should have. A solid plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that’s something I look for in a good book.
Thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. A well-deserved five stars from me and looking forward to reading more from this talented writer.
At its dual core, The Road Home by Laura Tonwe is about a woman coming to terms with the aftermath of 9/11 and figuring out how to forge a future for herself. It’s an exceptionally well written and richly descriptive novel with brilliantly drawn characters and settings. The threads of storytelling are so expertly woven in this poignant yet humorous contemporary fiction that it guarantees the attention of the reader.
I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of quirky plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the story in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much.
The story had every element a good story should have. A solid plot, attention to detail, but best of all fleshed out, well-written and well-rounded character development. There’s an abundance of well-illustrated scenes that make you feel like you are right there in the story, and that’s something I look for in a good book.
Thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it. A well-deserved five stars from me and looking forward to reading more from this talented writer.
November 18, 2021
‘Those that died in the Towers will exist in your memory too, Stephanie’
Michigan author Laura Tonwe serves as a solutions architect and technical program manager, and now makes her literary debut with THE ROAD HOME. Of significance to her novel, Laura survived the 9/11 bombing of the twin towers, and her story reflects the impact of that experience.
After reading THE ROAD HOME it is apparent that Laura Tonwe is a fresh new voice on the literary scene, an artist capable of creating a dazzling, imaginative story populated with well-known figures from cinema and television, blending them successfully into the pattern that forms her storyline. This trait is even present in the opening lines: ‘My walk from the subway was subdued. The ghost of Rose from the movie “Titanic’ was traipsing a step behind me. An older man wearing a New York Yankees windbreaker was selling snow globes for five dollars with the World Trade Center still part of the skyline. I bought one. We resumed walking. I yawned. I looked over at Rose to see if she had notices, but she was looking around Midtown with the interest of a tourist on her first trip to New York. I had stayed up too ate last night watching old VCR movies. In an attempt to avoid the news, I had been watching a lot of movies lately. It was my first day back to an office since our headquarters downtown had disintegrated into dust…’
How this ‘memoir-like’ story progresses is outlined as follows – ‘Autumn, 2001. In a surreal and subdued New York City, in which many workers are taking time off or opting into therapy, thirty-five-year-old software engineer and film fanatic Stephanie Willis is coping in her own unique way – by chain-watching classic VHS movies in her one-bed midtown apartment. Once bedazzled by the bright lights, Stephanie is bewildered as to how she has ended up so alone in such a big city. But the time has now come to throw herself back into her career: a game in which she, as the sole woman at a male-dominated table, is already bending under the weight of a loaded deck. Fortunately for Stephanie, help is on hand. She is aided by an unparalleled support network – one comprised of fictional characters, summoned from her favourite movies – to help her navigate her personal and professional crisis. Rose from Titanic is showing her how to be a survivor; Tess from 1988’s Working Girl is giving her (questionable) career advice; Vivienne from Pretty Woman is providing (even more questionable) dating tips; while Gregory Peck and Shirley MacLaine have stepped in to offer the parental wisdom missing throughout her upbringing in Ann Arbor, Michigan. And so when a hopeful career opportunity and handsome new colleague both present themselves, and she is once more faced with the expectations and limitations of sex and society, Stephanie must decide who she wants to be, how she demands to be treated, and just where she wants to call home…’
Laura Tonwe pounces onto the stage as a mature artist, a writer able to merge our history with our responses to it, and the result is a superb, fresh novel. Very highly recommended.
Michigan author Laura Tonwe serves as a solutions architect and technical program manager, and now makes her literary debut with THE ROAD HOME. Of significance to her novel, Laura survived the 9/11 bombing of the twin towers, and her story reflects the impact of that experience.
After reading THE ROAD HOME it is apparent that Laura Tonwe is a fresh new voice on the literary scene, an artist capable of creating a dazzling, imaginative story populated with well-known figures from cinema and television, blending them successfully into the pattern that forms her storyline. This trait is even present in the opening lines: ‘My walk from the subway was subdued. The ghost of Rose from the movie “Titanic’ was traipsing a step behind me. An older man wearing a New York Yankees windbreaker was selling snow globes for five dollars with the World Trade Center still part of the skyline. I bought one. We resumed walking. I yawned. I looked over at Rose to see if she had notices, but she was looking around Midtown with the interest of a tourist on her first trip to New York. I had stayed up too ate last night watching old VCR movies. In an attempt to avoid the news, I had been watching a lot of movies lately. It was my first day back to an office since our headquarters downtown had disintegrated into dust…’
How this ‘memoir-like’ story progresses is outlined as follows – ‘Autumn, 2001. In a surreal and subdued New York City, in which many workers are taking time off or opting into therapy, thirty-five-year-old software engineer and film fanatic Stephanie Willis is coping in her own unique way – by chain-watching classic VHS movies in her one-bed midtown apartment. Once bedazzled by the bright lights, Stephanie is bewildered as to how she has ended up so alone in such a big city. But the time has now come to throw herself back into her career: a game in which she, as the sole woman at a male-dominated table, is already bending under the weight of a loaded deck. Fortunately for Stephanie, help is on hand. She is aided by an unparalleled support network – one comprised of fictional characters, summoned from her favourite movies – to help her navigate her personal and professional crisis. Rose from Titanic is showing her how to be a survivor; Tess from 1988’s Working Girl is giving her (questionable) career advice; Vivienne from Pretty Woman is providing (even more questionable) dating tips; while Gregory Peck and Shirley MacLaine have stepped in to offer the parental wisdom missing throughout her upbringing in Ann Arbor, Michigan. And so when a hopeful career opportunity and handsome new colleague both present themselves, and she is once more faced with the expectations and limitations of sex and society, Stephanie must decide who she wants to be, how she demands to be treated, and just where she wants to call home…’
Laura Tonwe pounces onto the stage as a mature artist, a writer able to merge our history with our responses to it, and the result is a superb, fresh novel. Very highly recommended.
January 6, 2022
Review originally published on Reedsy:
Stephanie survived 9/11, but as she tries to get on with her job, she’s still dealing with the trauma. New York City, once the symbol of her exciting career, no longer feels like home but has become a threatening, unsettling place, full of missing posters and the smell of burning dust. At times, the only thing getting Stephanie through her increasingly chaotic days are the people only she can see: characters from the films she watches, like Rose from Titanic and Tess from Working Girl, or the ghostly figure of a firefighter.
The synopsis for The Road Home makes these apparitions following Stephanie around sound darkly comic, what with Tess’ questionable career advice and Vivienne from Pretty Woman’s even more questionable dating advice. They do have their funny moments, but this doesn’t detract from their seriousness of the novel. As a device, they’re an impressively complex way of showing the pressures Stephanie has internalised (put up with sexism, go along with it to impress the boss, and so on) and her trauma-induced disassociation. One of the characters (usually Rose) can make the comments we would all like to make, when Stephanie’s boyfriend takes advantage of her or her boss makes her take clients to a strip club, while Stephanie herself is too frozen to do anything other than go along with it.
Stephanie’s story is told here in three acts, as she considers where her home really is. Is it New York, her old home in Michigan, or a new opportunity? The act in New York is the most successful, simply because the strange, subdued city of the weeks after 9/11 is captured so vividly that it’s a character in itself. Stephanie’s search for home is however touching and well done, and is sufficient to carry the interest of the first act through acts two and three. We’re invested enough in Stephanie to care about what happens even when she’s not in New York.
The very end of the novel felt a little flat compared to what had gone before, but in a way, that is part of the message that Stephanie has to realise. While the movies she has been watching have got her through this traumatic period in her life, life is not a movie. There is no great redemptive love scene at the end, just getting through the day, and hopefully, finding a better future in a new city. Stephanie has relied on the ghostly firefighter appearing when she most needed him, but ultimately, she can’t be saved by her apparitions. She has to save herself. This was a moving and well-written exploration of how she can do that.
Stephanie survived 9/11, but as she tries to get on with her job, she’s still dealing with the trauma. New York City, once the symbol of her exciting career, no longer feels like home but has become a threatening, unsettling place, full of missing posters and the smell of burning dust. At times, the only thing getting Stephanie through her increasingly chaotic days are the people only she can see: characters from the films she watches, like Rose from Titanic and Tess from Working Girl, or the ghostly figure of a firefighter.
The synopsis for The Road Home makes these apparitions following Stephanie around sound darkly comic, what with Tess’ questionable career advice and Vivienne from Pretty Woman’s even more questionable dating advice. They do have their funny moments, but this doesn’t detract from their seriousness of the novel. As a device, they’re an impressively complex way of showing the pressures Stephanie has internalised (put up with sexism, go along with it to impress the boss, and so on) and her trauma-induced disassociation. One of the characters (usually Rose) can make the comments we would all like to make, when Stephanie’s boyfriend takes advantage of her or her boss makes her take clients to a strip club, while Stephanie herself is too frozen to do anything other than go along with it.
Stephanie’s story is told here in three acts, as she considers where her home really is. Is it New York, her old home in Michigan, or a new opportunity? The act in New York is the most successful, simply because the strange, subdued city of the weeks after 9/11 is captured so vividly that it’s a character in itself. Stephanie’s search for home is however touching and well done, and is sufficient to carry the interest of the first act through acts two and three. We’re invested enough in Stephanie to care about what happens even when she’s not in New York.
The very end of the novel felt a little flat compared to what had gone before, but in a way, that is part of the message that Stephanie has to realise. While the movies she has been watching have got her through this traumatic period in her life, life is not a movie. There is no great redemptive love scene at the end, just getting through the day, and hopefully, finding a better future in a new city. Stephanie has relied on the ghostly firefighter appearing when she most needed him, but ultimately, she can’t be saved by her apparitions. She has to save herself. This was a moving and well-written exploration of how she can do that.
December 2, 2021
This novel is a unique look at coping with trauma. What I really liked was that Stephanie was a seemingly well-functioning individual on the surface, which I feel like a lot novels focused on mental health issues gloss over (that you can be a productive employee, pay all your bills, etc. and still be struggling with a lot of deep-seated issues like trauma, addiction, abuse, and loneliness). At first, the fictional characters seemed strange to me, the way they materialized randomly, but their use was a really well-thought out plot device to see inside Stephanie's state of mind. My only major gripes with the story are the occasional grammar issues (a random y or saying ween them instead of between them) and the lack of therapy. Stephanie was in serious need of some sort of long-term counseling to help her overcome and I think if she had someone professional helping her through Part 2 that her progress would have felt more realistic and permanent. Other than that, it was a unique and emotional look at dealing with and recovery from trauma.
December 14, 2021
Books like this are worthy to be praised! The Road Home, written by Laura Tonwe, is a contemporary book that centers around the main character Stephanie Willis who suffered emotional trauma after witnessing the September 11 attack in NYC. As a means of coping up, she delves into movies and resorts to making the characters her peace and comfort.
I love the concept of this book and how it makes a lot of sense. Mental health is very important especially if you have been to such a traumatic event like the September 11th. I agree in most of the things that were tackled here along with the story. So much depth in this novel! I salute the writer for writing this and making us realize that it is worthy to be strong and it is okay to find strength from other people or things.
I love the concept of this book and how it makes a lot of sense. Mental health is very important especially if you have been to such a traumatic event like the September 11th. I agree in most of the things that were tackled here along with the story. So much depth in this novel! I salute the writer for writing this and making us realize that it is worthy to be strong and it is okay to find strength from other people or things.
December 26, 2021
"The Road Home" by Laura Towne is an engaging story that takes us back to the time after 9/11. Our protagonist is Stephanie, and she's an ambitious woman working in a "man's" career of marketing, trying to get ahead. But since she's not sure who exactly she is after she left her marriage and small town to make it in the big city, Stephanie is easily swept away by power and peer pressure. She heads back to her old home in the hopes that maybe she'll find herself there, only to find that Stephanie doesn't fit, either. As she explores her different opportunities, she begins to learn who she wants to be and who she is aren't the same people. Along the way, she has help with a few of her favorite actresses from past movies. Will she ever find the right road home?
December 3, 2021
Fiction, adventure, and suspense give birth to this excellent novel: The Road Home. Written by Laura Tonwe, the storyline is both compelling and unique. It is a fictitious tale about Stephanie Willis, a survivor of the deadly 9/11 incident. She is still suffering from the impact of the blast on the building and is oblivious to others surrounding her.
But the thrilling part is that her therapists are fictional figures from her all-time favorite films attempting to help her get through her melancholy. Their suggestions are random and occasionally hilarious. Tonwe has done a tremendous job while penning The Road Home.
But the thrilling part is that her therapists are fictional figures from her all-time favorite films attempting to help her get through her melancholy. Their suggestions are random and occasionally hilarious. Tonwe has done a tremendous job while penning The Road Home.
November 20, 2021
The Road Home by Laura Tonwe is a fictional work about one of the survivors after Tower Two was attacked during 9/11. Stephanie Willis is still in shock after witnessing her building being struck. She is numb to those around her, and her cabinet of counselors are fictional characters of her favorite movies trying to pull her out of the funk she is in. Their advice is spotty and humorous at times.
I found The Road Home a fun book to read, yet sobering as Laura Tonwe reminds us of the people who were traumatized as an aftereffect. Stephanie's effort to find a normal in her life again becomes mixed with men using her. Will she have to sell out on her integrity to get the career she wants?
I found The Road Home a fun book to read, yet sobering as Laura Tonwe reminds us of the people who were traumatized as an aftereffect. Stephanie's effort to find a normal in her life again becomes mixed with men using her. Will she have to sell out on her integrity to get the career she wants?
November 26, 2021
So, this was an interesting read for me. While I knew what I was buying, it languished on my Kindle for a bit and when I decided to crack it open, I hadn’t bothered to check the story description first, which means I went in blind. And, wow. Laura Tonwe constructs an interesting tale of life after 9/11 and how one woman chooses to cope with the aftermath having survived Tower 2. Cleverly weaving in fictional characters to the storyline, we get a clever take on the life-after as Stephanie deals with survivor guilt, the emotional turmoil, and PTSD while she figures out what’s next. It’s a clever story, which I’ve already said, it’s entertaining, and it’s a fun read.
January 13, 2022
An excellent read by Laura Tonwe about life in NYC immediately after 9/11. You go into it thinking you know 9/11 and the aftermath but Tonwe beautiful writing proves you wrong. The novel has excellent character development and dialogue (always a huge plus). The writing takes you with the character and they stay with you long after you have closed the book.
Highly recommend this novel and look forward to Tonwe’s next novel. I have received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Highly recommend this novel and look forward to Tonwe’s next novel. I have received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 28, 2021
There are a couple of major things going on in this book. Stephanie is trying to cope with a traumatic experience, and she is also living out a combination of a real and fantasy life to do this. I was surprised that this book randomly gets raunchy at times, out of nowhere, since the rest of the book isn’t like this. Besides this, if you are a fan of characters of movies you likely grew up watching, you will enjoy this title.
December 2, 2021
“The Road Home” was packed with American iconic locations, movies, music and experiences that I think added a lot of sentimental value. The horror of 9/11 was a constant touchpoint throughout the main character’s –Stephanie – journey. A lot of psychological and emotional effects from being so close to that event are very evident in the writing. You could sense the personality drifting of Stephanie as the appearances of ghosts were used as a technique to show her state of mind. A very good first novel.
December 1, 2021
Laura Tonwe is a writer who has spent over twenty years working as a solutions architect and technical program manager for large technology firms, often as the lone woman on her team. Laura worked in New York City for much of her career and was in Tower 2 on 9/11/2001 when the towers were hit. She currently lives and works in the Detroit suburbs. The Road Home is her first novel.
It is autumn, 2001. In a surreal and subdued New York City, in which many workers took time off or opted into therapy, 35 year old software engineer and film fanatic Stephanie Willis is coping in her own way. Set in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, The Road Home is a story about healing.
In New York City Stephanie sees the September 11 attacks up close. The destruction causes lasting trauma in her life. In addition to those challenges, she’s estranged from her sick father, and she dislikes her mother’s new husband.
Once bedazzled by NYC, Stephanie is bewildered as to how she has ended up so alone. She had to immerse herself back into her career as the sole woman in a male-dominated environment bending under a large workload. She suffered a chaotic mix of emotions: anger, embarrassment, curiosity, exhaustion, and hopelessness, threatening to disturb her surface calm.
Fortunately she is aided by a support network – one comprised of fictional characters, summoned from her favourite movies – to help her navigate her personal and professional crisis. Throughout the novel, Stephanie struggles to communicate. She discusses more with her ghosts than anyone else; she proclaims to be fine, but screams on the inside.
At work, Stephanie begins a relationship with her unstable boss, whose mistakes she covers up. When she’s promoted, she begins answering to a different predatory boss. A business trip to California finally affords her new opportunities and transformation.
And so when a hopeful career opportunity and handsome new colleague both present themselves, she is once more faced with the expectations and limitations of sex and society, Stephanie must decide who she wants to be, how she demands to be treated, and just where she wants to call home…
“I want to go home.” She said. Her apartment wasn’t really her home any longer.” I didn’t have a home at the moment. But I was still a drifter. I was still searching.” She knew that.
Excerpt:
Stephanie says:
“Loneliness has followed me my whole life. Everywhere. In bars, in cars, sidewalks, stores, everywhere. There's no escape. I'm God's lonely man... The days can go on with regularity over and over, one day indistinguishable from the next. A long continuous chain. Then suddenly, there is a change.” I had been lonely for most of my time in New York. Hopefully, I would be less lonely in LA.”
Maybe LA would turn out to be as alienating and isolating as New York had been. But maybe it would turn out to be home.
For the first time in six weeks, I let myself cry. I cried for the emptiness of Michael’s apartment. I cried for Michael’s fingers inside me. I cried for bad gay poetry and half-done murals. I cried for the drinks, joints, and bloody tampons.
When she’s back home in Michigan, her sense of estrangement deepens as her family members debate politics over her, and as a reconnection with an ex-boyfriend punctuates her feelings of emptiness. The time she spent with him felt like the same drunken interlude played out over and over. She didn’t want that to continue.
The reader gets a tourist guide sight- seeing opportunity showing the landmarks that defined the tourist version of New York. The key to a simple life there, is to not have too many external frustrations.
Scarlett Jensen
30 November 2021
It is autumn, 2001. In a surreal and subdued New York City, in which many workers took time off or opted into therapy, 35 year old software engineer and film fanatic Stephanie Willis is coping in her own way. Set in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, The Road Home is a story about healing.
In New York City Stephanie sees the September 11 attacks up close. The destruction causes lasting trauma in her life. In addition to those challenges, she’s estranged from her sick father, and she dislikes her mother’s new husband.
Once bedazzled by NYC, Stephanie is bewildered as to how she has ended up so alone. She had to immerse herself back into her career as the sole woman in a male-dominated environment bending under a large workload. She suffered a chaotic mix of emotions: anger, embarrassment, curiosity, exhaustion, and hopelessness, threatening to disturb her surface calm.
Fortunately she is aided by a support network – one comprised of fictional characters, summoned from her favourite movies – to help her navigate her personal and professional crisis. Throughout the novel, Stephanie struggles to communicate. She discusses more with her ghosts than anyone else; she proclaims to be fine, but screams on the inside.
At work, Stephanie begins a relationship with her unstable boss, whose mistakes she covers up. When she’s promoted, she begins answering to a different predatory boss. A business trip to California finally affords her new opportunities and transformation.
And so when a hopeful career opportunity and handsome new colleague both present themselves, she is once more faced with the expectations and limitations of sex and society, Stephanie must decide who she wants to be, how she demands to be treated, and just where she wants to call home…
“I want to go home.” She said. Her apartment wasn’t really her home any longer.” I didn’t have a home at the moment. But I was still a drifter. I was still searching.” She knew that.
Excerpt:
Stephanie says:
“Loneliness has followed me my whole life. Everywhere. In bars, in cars, sidewalks, stores, everywhere. There's no escape. I'm God's lonely man... The days can go on with regularity over and over, one day indistinguishable from the next. A long continuous chain. Then suddenly, there is a change.” I had been lonely for most of my time in New York. Hopefully, I would be less lonely in LA.”
Maybe LA would turn out to be as alienating and isolating as New York had been. But maybe it would turn out to be home.
For the first time in six weeks, I let myself cry. I cried for the emptiness of Michael’s apartment. I cried for Michael’s fingers inside me. I cried for bad gay poetry and half-done murals. I cried for the drinks, joints, and bloody tampons.
When she’s back home in Michigan, her sense of estrangement deepens as her family members debate politics over her, and as a reconnection with an ex-boyfriend punctuates her feelings of emptiness. The time she spent with him felt like the same drunken interlude played out over and over. She didn’t want that to continue.
The reader gets a tourist guide sight- seeing opportunity showing the landmarks that defined the tourist version of New York. The key to a simple life there, is to not have too many external frustrations.
Scarlett Jensen
30 November 2021
December 9, 2021
The Road Home by Laura Tonwe is a simple yet complex book of cause and effect - how a national and international tragedy makes one small person rethink and question their entire life, and future. The book follows Stephanie Willis, a software engineer who, in the aftermath of one of the worst attacks on humanity, suddenly wonders why she feels so un-anchored in a city she was once enamoured by. A place she used to call home, where she didn't mind living alone. And so she turns to binge watching her favourite movies.
The Road Home is a poignant story that provides a small gist of the impact it had on the residents of New York city, who witnessed the horrors of 9/11 first hand. Those who lost loved ones, who escaped from the wreckage, and who suddenly realised the fragility and temporary-ness of life.
This story is beautifully woven, with complex characters, interesting subplots, and unexpected twists and turns that merge into one. The author has a knack for storytelling, which shows in how easily and seamlessly the story flows. It invokes and provokes thoughts and feelings that will make you think or relate to Stephanie. A simple yet complicated story.
The Road Home is a poignant story that provides a small gist of the impact it had on the residents of New York city, who witnessed the horrors of 9/11 first hand. Those who lost loved ones, who escaped from the wreckage, and who suddenly realised the fragility and temporary-ness of life.
This story is beautifully woven, with complex characters, interesting subplots, and unexpected twists and turns that merge into one. The author has a knack for storytelling, which shows in how easily and seamlessly the story flows. It invokes and provokes thoughts and feelings that will make you think or relate to Stephanie. A simple yet complicated story.
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December 2, 2021 A Great Career Story
The Road Home by Laura Tonwe is a very well-written, original tale about the experiences of a young career woman in the aftermath of the September 11 tragedy. Stephanie Willis, an IT worker, has been in New York for the past five years. As she left her hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan, her mind was flooded with TV shows, movies, books, and films about NYC accomplishments and the notion that a massive city profession was worth compromising everything for. Stephanie, on the other hand, is "presently not certain of almost anything" after escaping the World Trade Center catastrophe.
The plot is based on a typical assumption: a small-town woman seeks a livelihood in a large metropolis. Tonwe adds advice and remarks from the phantom emergence of large performers to Stephanie's actions, giving them a sense of creativity. A good addition to your book collection.
The Road Home by Laura Tonwe is a very well-written, original tale about the experiences of a young career woman in the aftermath of the September 11 tragedy. Stephanie Willis, an IT worker, has been in New York for the past five years. As she left her hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan, her mind was flooded with TV shows, movies, books, and films about NYC accomplishments and the notion that a massive city profession was worth compromising everything for. Stephanie, on the other hand, is "presently not certain of almost anything" after escaping the World Trade Center catastrophe.
The plot is based on a typical assumption: a small-town woman seeks a livelihood in a large metropolis. Tonwe adds advice and remarks from the phantom emergence of large performers to Stephanie's actions, giving them a sense of creativity. A good addition to your book collection.
May 20, 2022
The Road Home is an entertaining and compelling novel written by Laura Tonwe. After the traumatic events that disrupted life in New York, Stephanie tries to cope with the shock in her own particular way: by being helped by the ghosts of the characters of her favourite classic movies. Rose from Titanic, Tess from Working Girl and Vivienne from Pretty Woman will accompany the protagonist of this great book as she gets back to work, meets new people and finally finds her way home.
I really liked this book. I found it very creative and original. The dialogues are interesting and sometimes funny. The thing that I like the most is the characterization. The author very talently captured the essence of the three famous characters and made them interact with Stephanie which is a great character in her own right. I highly recommend it.
I really liked this book. I found it very creative and original. The dialogues are interesting and sometimes funny. The thing that I like the most is the characterization. The author very talently captured the essence of the three famous characters and made them interact with Stephanie which is a great character in her own right. I highly recommend it.
May 19, 2022
“The Road Home” written by Laura Tonwe is a great read. This book follows the life of Stephanie Willis, a young software engineer who loves the film industry. She is going through a difficult situation and the fictional characters of her favorite movies become her only support. The only problem is that she’s slowly drifting away from the real world.
To be absolutely honest, the beginning of the story moved too slowly for my own interest; there was action but it wasn’t enough for me. Anyway, then it changes abruptly and the rest was highly entertaining.
The characters are all very well introduced and I could sympathize with the main protagonist since sometimes it’s easier to live in a fantasy as her.
To be absolutely honest, the beginning of the story moved too slowly for my own interest; there was action but it wasn’t enough for me. Anyway, then it changes abruptly and the rest was highly entertaining.
The characters are all very well introduced and I could sympathize with the main protagonist since sometimes it’s easier to live in a fantasy as her.
November 24, 2021
In New York City, Stephanie Willis is wallowing in her loneliness. She may live in one of the most populated urban cities in the world, and yet she suffers from acute loneliness. In her marathon session of rewatching VHS tapes, she starts to see the plights of various heroines in new ways and begins to see valuable lessons from them. This will give her the courage to stretch out her hand and take a leap. A story about courage, love, the determination of the human spirit and a woman’s journey to self-discovery, “The Road Home” will take you on a journey you haven’t quite seen yet.
December 6, 2021
The story has quite a unique charm to it especially since it's all about a woman's life and the struggles she faced after the 9/11 attacks that greatly scarred her for life. I find it very interesting to see various fictional characters that we are all familiar with as a 'support network', still, it was very relatable because readers often try to relate and understand the fictional characters in the books and movies they're reading/watching in their own lives. I really find this book worth the try especially it's more about a person's growth after experiencing a traumatizing situation.
November 21, 2021
The road home is a woman’s contemporary fiction story. The story begins with Stephanie living in New York in the year 2001. She is 35 and is a software engineer. She is single, and her job is primarily male-oriented, so you get to see how she faces the ordeal of making herself seen and also understanding herself and what she wants. The story is an easy read, and if you’re looking for a relaxed – feel-good book, then this one is for you.
November 30, 2021
Laura Tonwe delivers a solid first novel about a woman dealing with her emotions and PTSD in the aftermath of 9/11. The author is able to create a delicate balance between grief, laugh, guilt and so many more emotions in between. The Road Home is cleverly built, with a good pace and good characters. I’m not completely sold on the main characters but the author’s writing style is definitely noteworthy.
December 14, 2021
The Road Home has so many moving parts and tender spots that I felt the move ghosts should’ve been removed entirely. 9/11 will be forever a harrowing memory for most of us, and the author does a beautiful job at dissecting Stephanie’s feelings and how she maneuvers in a city left for tragedy and sorrow. In my opinion, it was a shame that the book included such ghosts, which felt cheesy and almost funny. They didn’t add anything to the book.
November 28, 2025
Original concept
An original idea, which made for a quick easy read. I enjoyed the journey you go on with the ma8n character
An original idea, which made for a quick easy read. I enjoyed the journey you go on with the ma8n character
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