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Home or Away
Two friends, one Olympic dream, and the choice that stood in the way.
Once Leigh and Susy were close friends and teammates bound for Olympic hockey gold, but when Leigh’s sure-fire plan to make the final roster backfired, she left everything behind to start over, including the one person who knew her secret.
Two decades later, Leigh’s a successful investment banker, happily married, and the mom of a hockey prodigy, so when a career opportunity lands the family back in Minnesota, Leigh takes the shot for her kid. Back in the ultra-competitive world she left behind, the move puts her in Susy’s orbit, a daily reminder of how Leigh watched from the sidelines as her former teammate went on to Olympic glory.
Despite the coldness between them, Susy can’t help but hope that Leigh might lace up her skates and join her in the coaches’ box—after all Leigh knows better than anyone how hard it is to be a woman in this world. Susy’s coaching decisions are undermined by the all-male board and she knows soon her daughter, Georgie, will be seen as a “girl athlete,” relegated to the B team, with less support and opportunity to advance.
But Leigh’s sure keeping Susy at arms’ length is the only way to hide her history with her coach Jeff Carlson. When he hints of new favors in exchange for her son’s ice time and allegations arise over his conduct, Leigh is caught in the ultimate bind: come clean about what happened when she was an Olympic hopeful and risk her marriage or play Jeff’s game. In a moment of desperation, Leigh turns to Susy and realizes the one person she thought was her biggest competitor might turn out to be her biggest ally.
Told with Kathleen West’s trademark wit and compassion, Home or Away is a story about overcoming our pasts, confronting our futures, and the sustaining bonds of female friendship.
Once Leigh and Susy were close friends and teammates bound for Olympic hockey gold, but when Leigh’s sure-fire plan to make the final roster backfired, she left everything behind to start over, including the one person who knew her secret.
Two decades later, Leigh’s a successful investment banker, happily married, and the mom of a hockey prodigy, so when a career opportunity lands the family back in Minnesota, Leigh takes the shot for her kid. Back in the ultra-competitive world she left behind, the move puts her in Susy’s orbit, a daily reminder of how Leigh watched from the sidelines as her former teammate went on to Olympic glory.
Despite the coldness between them, Susy can’t help but hope that Leigh might lace up her skates and join her in the coaches’ box—after all Leigh knows better than anyone how hard it is to be a woman in this world. Susy’s coaching decisions are undermined by the all-male board and she knows soon her daughter, Georgie, will be seen as a “girl athlete,” relegated to the B team, with less support and opportunity to advance.
But Leigh’s sure keeping Susy at arms’ length is the only way to hide her history with her coach Jeff Carlson. When he hints of new favors in exchange for her son’s ice time and allegations arise over his conduct, Leigh is caught in the ultimate bind: come clean about what happened when she was an Olympic hopeful and risk her marriage or play Jeff’s game. In a moment of desperation, Leigh turns to Susy and realizes the one person she thought was her biggest competitor might turn out to be her biggest ally.
Told with Kathleen West’s trademark wit and compassion, Home or Away is a story about overcoming our pasts, confronting our futures, and the sustaining bonds of female friendship.
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First published March 29, 2022
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June 6, 2022
I’m not a big hockey fan but after reading this book, I found myself getting new tickets to see more LA Kings games!
Kathleen West is definitely aspiring, unique author! I read her previous works and I had to admit I loved this book a little more! Normally I always have hesitations when I start to a slow burn mystery. For getting into this kind of story, I have to get invested into characters and mystery part should be intriguing enough to make my precious arse keep glued to my seat and occupy my mind!
This book achieved those two goals: I enjoyed the character building: both Leigh and Susy’s love- hate kind of unbalanced relationship dynamics were depicted well.
Leigh returns back her hometown with her new family: a writer-supportive-caring husband Charlie and a hockey prodigy, lovely son Gus. In two decades she has started from fresh to build a successful career at investment banking. Her son is a superstar in his Tampa Junior League.
But a new job opportunity for Leigh and more opportunities for her son’s developing athletic career, she returns back to place where her own her athletic career had been miserable. We may sense that something terrible happened related to her coach Jeff and her once upon a time best friend Susy.
Susy’s own life at hometown is also complicated with the contribution of her ex who cheated her with half of Swedish National hockey team. Her talented hockey player daughter Georgie is about to be relegated to the B team. Because she is just a girl! And as a coach of the hockey team, her own decisions are always ignored or undermined by her male colleagues.
Susy wants to burn the hatches and work with Leigh, rekindling her enthusiasm by pushing her pacing up her skates! Leigh unluckily has to deal with Jeff- the man who ruined her dreams- and his favor requests to guarantee her son’s place at hockey team.
When the allegations against Jeff arises, she has to confront her past and save her family from the scandal that may rock their world. She needs an ally which means her old friend/ nemesis Susy will be the only one who can support her!
Well, rivalry between friends, family of three’s dynamics, mansplaining at workplace, high tension, bottled up anger, high emotions definitely capture your interest!
It’s well written, well developed, MUST READ novel I highly recommend from a brilliant author who never disappoints me!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
Kathleen West is definitely aspiring, unique author! I read her previous works and I had to admit I loved this book a little more! Normally I always have hesitations when I start to a slow burn mystery. For getting into this kind of story, I have to get invested into characters and mystery part should be intriguing enough to make my precious arse keep glued to my seat and occupy my mind!
This book achieved those two goals: I enjoyed the character building: both Leigh and Susy’s love- hate kind of unbalanced relationship dynamics were depicted well.
Leigh returns back her hometown with her new family: a writer-supportive-caring husband Charlie and a hockey prodigy, lovely son Gus. In two decades she has started from fresh to build a successful career at investment banking. Her son is a superstar in his Tampa Junior League.
But a new job opportunity for Leigh and more opportunities for her son’s developing athletic career, she returns back to place where her own her athletic career had been miserable. We may sense that something terrible happened related to her coach Jeff and her once upon a time best friend Susy.
Susy’s own life at hometown is also complicated with the contribution of her ex who cheated her with half of Swedish National hockey team. Her talented hockey player daughter Georgie is about to be relegated to the B team. Because she is just a girl! And as a coach of the hockey team, her own decisions are always ignored or undermined by her male colleagues.
Susy wants to burn the hatches and work with Leigh, rekindling her enthusiasm by pushing her pacing up her skates! Leigh unluckily has to deal with Jeff- the man who ruined her dreams- and his favor requests to guarantee her son’s place at hockey team.
When the allegations against Jeff arises, she has to confront her past and save her family from the scandal that may rock their world. She needs an ally which means her old friend/ nemesis Susy will be the only one who can support her!
Well, rivalry between friends, family of three’s dynamics, mansplaining at workplace, high tension, bottled up anger, high emotions definitely capture your interest!
It’s well written, well developed, MUST READ novel I highly recommend from a brilliant author who never disappoints me!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
October 1, 2022
Home or Away by Kathleen West is a 2022 Berkley publication.
Best friends, Leigh and Susy were on the road to Olympic hockey glory together...
But only one of them would bring home a medal...
Now, twenty years later, Leigh, married, and the mother of young Gus, has moved back to Minnesota, for the sake of her son, who wants his own chance at hockey glory.
But for Leigh, the move has brought back bitter memories-deepening the poisonous secret she has kept from her husband, while Gus struggles to play at the same level as his teammates.
Meanwhile, Susy, the hockey coach, tries to reach out to Leigh, but Leigh resents Susy’s success, her knowledge of Leigh's old secret, and the new friendship that Susy has developed with her husband, Charlie.
Things go from bad to worse for Leigh, as the reasons for her hockey failures all those years ago threaten to surface, meaning a certain end to her marriage. But even worse, there is an increasing amount of pressure from Susy and others to admit the truth and to finally come forward with her story…
This novel deals, not only with the pressures on young athletes, but with the behind-the-scenes politics, and the exploitation of young women who participate in sports at an elite level. It is also the story about relationships- motherhood, marriage, and friendship.
Occasionally I struggled with this book. I found it repetitive, at times, and the characters often frustrated me. I understood what the author was going for, though, and the themes explored are ones I feel strongly about- so I tamped down on my impatience to see how everything would play out.
Ultimately, I liked how the story came together, and the big steps the characters made. Even though the adults are older, a great deal of growing up is necessary- and slowly they rise to the occasion and do the right thing for themselves and others. Gus was my favorite character, though. I felt for him- the pressure he felt, the maturity and insights he had, and the realistic view of his limitations, which might have fallen short of the expectations placed on his little shoulders.
Overall, despite my annoyances with some of the characters, and their deliberate ignorance and stubbornness, and occasional outright meanness, I feel the story touches on a several thought-provoking subjects in such a way as to avoid uncomfortable heaviness, or becoming preachy, while providing us with a story that gives us something to chew on while offering hope, closure, and a new beginnings for everyone involved….
3.5 stars
Best friends, Leigh and Susy were on the road to Olympic hockey glory together...
But only one of them would bring home a medal...
Now, twenty years later, Leigh, married, and the mother of young Gus, has moved back to Minnesota, for the sake of her son, who wants his own chance at hockey glory.
But for Leigh, the move has brought back bitter memories-deepening the poisonous secret she has kept from her husband, while Gus struggles to play at the same level as his teammates.
Meanwhile, Susy, the hockey coach, tries to reach out to Leigh, but Leigh resents Susy’s success, her knowledge of Leigh's old secret, and the new friendship that Susy has developed with her husband, Charlie.
Things go from bad to worse for Leigh, as the reasons for her hockey failures all those years ago threaten to surface, meaning a certain end to her marriage. But even worse, there is an increasing amount of pressure from Susy and others to admit the truth and to finally come forward with her story…
This novel deals, not only with the pressures on young athletes, but with the behind-the-scenes politics, and the exploitation of young women who participate in sports at an elite level. It is also the story about relationships- motherhood, marriage, and friendship.
Occasionally I struggled with this book. I found it repetitive, at times, and the characters often frustrated me. I understood what the author was going for, though, and the themes explored are ones I feel strongly about- so I tamped down on my impatience to see how everything would play out.
Ultimately, I liked how the story came together, and the big steps the characters made. Even though the adults are older, a great deal of growing up is necessary- and slowly they rise to the occasion and do the right thing for themselves and others. Gus was my favorite character, though. I felt for him- the pressure he felt, the maturity and insights he had, and the realistic view of his limitations, which might have fallen short of the expectations placed on his little shoulders.
Overall, despite my annoyances with some of the characters, and their deliberate ignorance and stubbornness, and occasional outright meanness, I feel the story touches on a several thought-provoking subjects in such a way as to avoid uncomfortable heaviness, or becoming preachy, while providing us with a story that gives us something to chew on while offering hope, closure, and a new beginnings for everyone involved….
3.5 stars
March 28, 2022
Home or Away by Kathleen West is a fictional contemporary novel with a touch of drama woven into the story. The story in Home or Away is one that takes place in two timelines with a present time and going back to twenty years before and also by changing the point of view between the characters.
Leigh had once had Olympic dreams playing hockey but her dream vanished twenty years ago. Instead of competing on the Olympic team Leigh had married her boyfriend and has gone on to have twenty years of marriage together and a son they both love.
Leigh had told herself that she would not ever let her son get to know hockey or play the sport but that vow had gone out the window when a family member gave him toddler skates. Now Leigh and her husband have packed up their Florida home and moved back to Minnesota to give their son his best shot at competitive hockey but Leigh must face her past now that she’s home.
The first thing I noticed when picking up Home or Away by Kathleen West is that it was very hockey heavy which I’m not sure if readers of a contemporary family story would love. In a way this one reminded me of Mighty Ducks with the young boy trying to make the hockey team but underneath that side of the story was the main characters Leigh confronting demons from her past which did get engaging to see how it would all turn out. To me it all wrapped up rather quickly after spending so much time in the ice rink which left me rating this one at three and a half stars.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Leigh had once had Olympic dreams playing hockey but her dream vanished twenty years ago. Instead of competing on the Olympic team Leigh had married her boyfriend and has gone on to have twenty years of marriage together and a son they both love.
Leigh had told herself that she would not ever let her son get to know hockey or play the sport but that vow had gone out the window when a family member gave him toddler skates. Now Leigh and her husband have packed up their Florida home and moved back to Minnesota to give their son his best shot at competitive hockey but Leigh must face her past now that she’s home.
The first thing I noticed when picking up Home or Away by Kathleen West is that it was very hockey heavy which I’m not sure if readers of a contemporary family story would love. In a way this one reminded me of Mighty Ducks with the young boy trying to make the hockey team but underneath that side of the story was the main characters Leigh confronting demons from her past which did get engaging to see how it would all turn out. To me it all wrapped up rather quickly after spending so much time in the ice rink which left me rating this one at three and a half stars.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
October 7, 2021
I’ve loved all of Kathleen West’s novels, but this is her best yet! This book hooked me from the beginning and steadily built in complexity and tension until I couldn’t stop reading until I finished the very last page. The characters are so well-drawn that I felt like I knew them, and the relationships are pitch perfect in their portrayals—husband/wife, parent/child, player/coach, and female friendship. I am so impressed by the depth and emotion in this book and I am going to be recommending it to everyone I know. Don’t miss this one!
April 20, 2022
Thank you @berkleypub for the free copy of this heart felt story about dreams, friendships, and how we deal with the choices made.
TITLE: HOME OR AWAY
AUTHOR: Kathleen West
PUB DATE: 03.29.2022 Pre Order Now
Top reasons to read Home or Away
✔️High-stakes hockey
✔️Bitter Betrayal
✔️Complex Characters
✔️Fantastic Friendship Fiction
I really enjoy Kathleen West’s writing for her well drawn, complex, and relatable characters that immersed the reader into the story. I tore through this absolutely exciting novel, and finding myself devouring this story whenever I can.
In this third novel, Home or Away, West deftly writes a story told in multiple POV, that is set in 2022 about Leigh’s current move from Florida back to Minnesota, where twenty years ago, she played competitive hockey along with her best friend Suzy. The brilliant part is the way the backstory is slowly introduced to find out what happened to her Olympic hockey dreams, and why she abandoned hockey. As the layer of the story unfolds, the more high stakes the story becomes. I really enjoyed the themes, the characters, and this perfectly paced story.
TITLE: HOME OR AWAY
AUTHOR: Kathleen West
PUB DATE: 03.29.2022 Pre Order Now
Top reasons to read Home or Away
✔️High-stakes hockey
✔️Bitter Betrayal
✔️Complex Characters
✔️Fantastic Friendship Fiction
I really enjoy Kathleen West’s writing for her well drawn, complex, and relatable characters that immersed the reader into the story. I tore through this absolutely exciting novel, and finding myself devouring this story whenever I can.
In this third novel, Home or Away, West deftly writes a story told in multiple POV, that is set in 2022 about Leigh’s current move from Florida back to Minnesota, where twenty years ago, she played competitive hockey along with her best friend Suzy. The brilliant part is the way the backstory is slowly introduced to find out what happened to her Olympic hockey dreams, and why she abandoned hockey. As the layer of the story unfolds, the more high stakes the story becomes. I really enjoyed the themes, the characters, and this perfectly paced story.
April 22, 2022
I really liked both of West’s previous novels so i’m kinda bummed i wasn’t that into this one. It was a bit heavy on the hockey elements for me and the drama that was playing out felt like it was stretched out throughout the whole book rather than there being several different issues to work out like in her previous books, which made it drag a bit for me
January 17, 2025
A powerful glimpse into women’s sport: the good, the bad, and the ugly. This fictional story scratches the surface on Safe Sport, youth sport… and even talks about Strava. Couldn’t put it down.
April 28, 2022
HOME OR AWAY is about a woman’s commitment to her son’s success as a hockey player—and the truth behind why her own Olympic dreams blew up twenty years ago. Kathleen West can do no wrong as an author. I have loved all her books, and this one is no exception. I’m someone who couldn’t care less about hockey, but because Kathleen is a true magician, I was actually interested in all the hockey sections! Once again, she’s created a realistic and nuanced portrait of a family, and she’s expertly upped the stakes with every chapter. I love how in Kathleen’s books, the main characters always believe they are doing the exact right thing for their family, even as they complicate situations left and right. It always takes them realizing and addressing a major flaw in themselves to become a more successful member of their own family, and that journey is so satisfying and powerful to experience. I highly recommend you pick up this book!
February 12, 2022
I’m a huge fan of Kathleen West’s writing style and the topics she chooses to write about, and her latest is no exception! She is so great at creating situations where there’s no clear right or wrong answer, and you really have to think before judging the characters for their actions. While I didn’t find Leigh to be particularly likable throughout most of the book, I did find it easy to relate to her and understand why she acted the way that she did. Around the 80% mark, I started to get worried about the direction things were going (trying to avoid spoilers here), but the ending was the perfect mix of being satisfying while still being realistic. The story has so much depth, well-developed characters, and a ton of heart and will be the perfect book to cure your post Olympics hangover!
April 1, 2022
As teenagers, Leigh and Susy shared the same dream- to be Olympic gold medalists in women’s hockey. Desperate to make the team, Leigh desperately enters into a relationship with her coach to ensure she’ll snag a spot. Only her plan backfires, leaving Leigh not only out of Olympic running, but out of the sport- forever.
Years later, while Susy has made a career as a successful coach, Leigh has lived life on the literal sidelines- grooming her son to fulfill the dreams she never did. So when a job opportunity opens up in her old hometown, Leigh uproots her family and moves “home” to Minnesota. Back in the ultra competitive world of hockey, Leigh’s son is no longer the big fish in a little pond. Before long, Leigh finds history repeating itself as she clamors to hold on to the dream she lost all those years ago.
Familiarity with the sport is a bonus, though not necessary, to enjoy Home or Away. In fact, any experience with overzealous parenting or poor sportsmanship might be just enough to make this story relatable. Sports knowledge and parenting skills aside, I had a hard time connecting with Leigh’s character who kept making one poor decision after another. While it was easy to write off flashback Leigh’s actions, I wanted her to be held to her grown up decisions more in the present. Without this depth, Home or Away instead ended up just skating the surface.
Years later, while Susy has made a career as a successful coach, Leigh has lived life on the literal sidelines- grooming her son to fulfill the dreams she never did. So when a job opportunity opens up in her old hometown, Leigh uproots her family and moves “home” to Minnesota. Back in the ultra competitive world of hockey, Leigh’s son is no longer the big fish in a little pond. Before long, Leigh finds history repeating itself as she clamors to hold on to the dream she lost all those years ago.
Familiarity with the sport is a bonus, though not necessary, to enjoy Home or Away. In fact, any experience with overzealous parenting or poor sportsmanship might be just enough to make this story relatable. Sports knowledge and parenting skills aside, I had a hard time connecting with Leigh’s character who kept making one poor decision after another. While it was easy to write off flashback Leigh’s actions, I wanted her to be held to her grown up decisions more in the present. Without this depth, Home or Away instead ended up just skating the surface.
May 25, 2022
This was a disappointment. Such a great plot premise but with a very unlikable and not very well developed main character. The supporting characters also lacked development and depth. As a result, it was hard to develop any sense of empathy or support for any of the characters.
April 9, 2022
Kathleen West has done it again—and while I loved her first two books, I think this might be her best yet. Full review to come!
March 28, 2022
Calling all hockey moms, fans, and players! If the sport holds a special place in your heart, then Kathleen West’s latest novel, Home or Away is just the book for you. My daughter has been playing hockey for four seasons now. At first, I wasn’t too sure how things would play out, but my doubt quickly faded with each practice, game, and tournament. Her love of the game grows more and more with each season, and it makes my heart swell with pride and joy for her. I’m so thankful that she’s found a sport to love, and gain confidence from. I barely complain (too much) about how many hours we spend at the rink anymore! Ha! When I heard that West was writing a novel centered around hockey, reading it was a no-brainer for me. (Especially since I absolutely loved her last two books.) West captures hockey culture in the Midwest like a pro. I could tell right away that she was a fellow hockey mom. She truly nailed what life is like for a hockey family up north. Everything was so spot on, and very relatable. I was smiling and nodding away with each mention of tryouts, locker rooms, pep talks, drills, penalty kills, team manager emails, hotel blocks, rosters, trading pins, and excited bangs on the plexiglass. I also loved all of the local references; even Fargo was mentioned! Yay! Yes, the hockey lingo is VERY heavy in this book, but you don’t necessarily have to be a hockey fan to enjoy it. Other elements of the story include the rise and fall of one woman’s Olympic dreams, a coaching scandal that touches on the #metoo movement, and the complexities of women competing and excelling in a male-dominated sport. Home or Away is a unique and one-of-a-kind story with strong themes of marriage, family, and female friendship. I’ll be recommending it to every single hockey mom I know. This book truly warmed my #hockeymom heart. I loved it!
March 29, 2022
I LOVED Home or Away! With complex characters who pack an emotional punch, West’s third novel powerfully examines friendship, family, Olympic dreams, and the secrets that threaten to ruin everything. I could not put it down!
March 28, 2022
Thank you Berkley Pub / Thoughts from the Page Podcast / KCCPR for the gifted copy.
This is the first book I’ve read by Kathleen West and if all her books are as enjoyable as this one, it will most definitely not be the last. This was another early read that I got thanks to being a Patreon member of the Thoughts from a Page Podcast and even though I had to miss the book discussion and author chat due to personal reasons, I really am glad I had the opportunity to read the book.
Even though this is not the first story I’ve read about elite athletes, it still had a unique angle to it, so I didn’t feel that it was the same old story. Yes, it does tackle that taboo subject that we have all heard about time and time again, but what I loved here, and I felt is the strongest part of this story, is the complex character relationships that the author takes the time to create. That is really the driving force behind this story and what kept me flipping these pages.
I loved how the story moves back and forth in time, from the present to the past, slowly filling in the blanks as to what really happened to cause Leigh to walk away from hockey all those years ago. And yet, her son is now playing and even though she has moved back to her hometown, she is still keeping an arm’s length from the sport. Why?
I loved how this book really gave you pause here because the actions that characters took weren’t necessarily black or white. You could see how they came to their decisions and I really felt for Leigh as she struggled with the choices she made. While I might not have agreed with all her actions, I did feel this had an authentic feel to the story.
This book may be heavily concentrated on hockey, but I have to say even though I don’t know much about the sport, and I didn’t play competitive sports nor do I have kids, I still really enjoyed this book. I think it’s one that can be read by anyone and appreciated by a wide variety of readers.
You can see all my reviews at: https://www.alwayswithabook.com/
This is the first book I’ve read by Kathleen West and if all her books are as enjoyable as this one, it will most definitely not be the last. This was another early read that I got thanks to being a Patreon member of the Thoughts from a Page Podcast and even though I had to miss the book discussion and author chat due to personal reasons, I really am glad I had the opportunity to read the book.
Even though this is not the first story I’ve read about elite athletes, it still had a unique angle to it, so I didn’t feel that it was the same old story. Yes, it does tackle that taboo subject that we have all heard about time and time again, but what I loved here, and I felt is the strongest part of this story, is the complex character relationships that the author takes the time to create. That is really the driving force behind this story and what kept me flipping these pages.
I loved how the story moves back and forth in time, from the present to the past, slowly filling in the blanks as to what really happened to cause Leigh to walk away from hockey all those years ago. And yet, her son is now playing and even though she has moved back to her hometown, she is still keeping an arm’s length from the sport. Why?
I loved how this book really gave you pause here because the actions that characters took weren’t necessarily black or white. You could see how they came to their decisions and I really felt for Leigh as she struggled with the choices she made. While I might not have agreed with all her actions, I did feel this had an authentic feel to the story.
This book may be heavily concentrated on hockey, but I have to say even though I don’t know much about the sport, and I didn’t play competitive sports nor do I have kids, I still really enjoyed this book. I think it’s one that can be read by anyone and appreciated by a wide variety of readers.
You can see all my reviews at: https://www.alwayswithabook.com/
April 5, 2022
Home or Away was a way for me to step out of my preferred genre box and make sure I don't succumb to thriller burnout (anything but that). Leigh has built a happy life with her husband Charlie and their son Gus in Tampa Bay. So, what would make her want to move back to her hometown, Liston Heights in Minnesota? After all, when Leigh’s hockey dreams didn't work out, she hung up her skates and never looked back. She could not have predicted that her son would be a natural on the ice. As a parent, she wants him to have every opportunity to get the best training, and Florida is not Minnesota. Of course, there was a reason Leigh’s dream of making the Olympic team didn't come true, and it made her cut ties with anyone who knew the truth. We find out what happened, how it changed her life, and if she can outrun secrets from her past.
I don't want to give too much away but Leigh made some questionable decisions when she was young. One of her coaches preyed on her emotions and trust and her involvement with him had a profound impact on her life. Now he is heavily involved with youth hockey and to Leigh, this means that he has the power to impact her son’s hopes and dreams. Does Leigh make some other questionable choices now? Yes, she does but I suppose her character like any of us makes what seems to be the best choice at the time.
A lot happens in Home or Away with Leigh facing her past, reconnecting with old friends, wanting only the best for Gus, and winding up in a place where she could lose the life she has built and loves. For me, since I've never really been a fan of the sport it was a bit heavy on hockey. Seems like a silly thing to mention considering the book description talks about hockey, but I did want to say it didn’t impact my enjoyment of discovering who these characters were and who they might become. In the end, I was hoping that everything would be resolved for Leigh, Charlie, and Gus.
I should mention that Charlie was a great father and husband, Susy was a friend I would like to have, and coach Jeff, well he could go far, far away in my opinion!
I don't want to give too much away but Leigh made some questionable decisions when she was young. One of her coaches preyed on her emotions and trust and her involvement with him had a profound impact on her life. Now he is heavily involved with youth hockey and to Leigh, this means that he has the power to impact her son’s hopes and dreams. Does Leigh make some other questionable choices now? Yes, she does but I suppose her character like any of us makes what seems to be the best choice at the time.
A lot happens in Home or Away with Leigh facing her past, reconnecting with old friends, wanting only the best for Gus, and winding up in a place where she could lose the life she has built and loves. For me, since I've never really been a fan of the sport it was a bit heavy on hockey. Seems like a silly thing to mention considering the book description talks about hockey, but I did want to say it didn’t impact my enjoyment of discovering who these characters were and who they might become. In the end, I was hoping that everything would be resolved for Leigh, Charlie, and Gus.
I should mention that Charlie was a great father and husband, Susy was a friend I would like to have, and coach Jeff, well he could go far, far away in my opinion!
March 17, 2022
Thank you to Goodreads, the author and Berkley publisher for this book.
If you like hockey, secrets, betrayals, this book is for you.
Set in the "slightly near" future of 2022 (later than March) and into 2023, Leigh, who was a major hockey player 20 years ago, never made it to the Olympics, was bitter about it and decided to quit it even though she could have continued into college. She's married to Charlie and has a 9 year old Gus who is playing hockey of course. They move from Florida to her hometown of Minnesota where hockey is everything. She wants to forget about her past life and her "former" best friend and hockey player is now coaching along with Jeff, who's an assistant coach and her former coach on the Olympics trials team. That's a book in itself. Leigh doesn't want anything to do with hockey and Susy and Susy wants to be her friend again. A lot happens in this book and it's well worth reading.
If you like hockey, secrets, betrayals, this book is for you.
Set in the "slightly near" future of 2022 (later than March) and into 2023, Leigh, who was a major hockey player 20 years ago, never made it to the Olympics, was bitter about it and decided to quit it even though she could have continued into college. She's married to Charlie and has a 9 year old Gus who is playing hockey of course. They move from Florida to her hometown of Minnesota where hockey is everything. She wants to forget about her past life and her "former" best friend and hockey player is now coaching along with Jeff, who's an assistant coach and her former coach on the Olympics trials team. That's a book in itself. Leigh doesn't want anything to do with hockey and Susy and Susy wants to be her friend again. A lot happens in this book and it's well worth reading.
April 15, 2022
Family hockey story meets a MeToo novel. I liked it. Very well written. Just wish the metoo storyline hadn’t been there.
April 25, 2023
I am not a hockey person at all but I do love sports and knew there would be some way to relate. While hockey was the catalyst for the story it was not the story. It was actually quite different than I thought it would be but I definitely enjoyed it.
May 11, 2022
HOME OR AWAY is the second book I’ve read by @kathleenwestwrites and I think it’s taking the cake as my new favorite! Wonderfully complex and relatable characters and a setting that will have you shivering in your seat as you read about the Minnesota weather!
Going into this book I didn’t know much about hockey, but after reading it, I’m wanting to book tickets to our next Caps game! Leigh was once an impressive young athlete, and left everything behind when her hopes of making the Olympic team are shattered. Fast-forward two decades and Leigh’s son is now on his own journey in the youth hockey circuit, and they don’t do it any better than in Minnesota. As the family moves back to Leigh’s hometown, she can’t escape her past as much as she wishes she could.
This book deals with some very real issues happening in sports over the past few years- most especially in the Olympic gymnastics world and the very public scandals surrounding the sport. The past comes back to haunt Leigh and affects every aspect of her life. You’ll grow to love these characters, and even want to shake them a time or two! I will definitely be recommending this one a lot in the future!
Going into this book I didn’t know much about hockey, but after reading it, I’m wanting to book tickets to our next Caps game! Leigh was once an impressive young athlete, and left everything behind when her hopes of making the Olympic team are shattered. Fast-forward two decades and Leigh’s son is now on his own journey in the youth hockey circuit, and they don’t do it any better than in Minnesota. As the family moves back to Leigh’s hometown, she can’t escape her past as much as she wishes she could.
This book deals with some very real issues happening in sports over the past few years- most especially in the Olympic gymnastics world and the very public scandals surrounding the sport. The past comes back to haunt Leigh and affects every aspect of her life. You’ll grow to love these characters, and even want to shake them a time or two! I will definitely be recommending this one a lot in the future!
March 27, 2022
"Susy and Leigh's generation had been raise to think that playing with boys made them tougher and more impressive, but now that Susy spent her days working with middle schoolers, now that she saw the ways they could support one another if they had decent role models, she questioned that message."
I loved this book SO MUCH. I'm not even a team sports person. It's so compelling and gripped me from go.
I loved this book SO MUCH. I'm not even a team sports person. It's so compelling and gripped me from go.
February 9, 2022
Home or Away by Kathleen West. Thanks to @netgalley and @berkleypub for the gifted e-Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️
After a disappointment, Olympic bound Leigh gives up the sport of hockey. Two decades later she finds herself back in the competition with her son. Same town, same sport, same people, same secrets.
I have loved Kathleen West’s previous books so I was really excited for this one. It already has great reviews. I feel like I’m the odd one out because I just couldn’t get into the groove of it. So, so much hockey. If you’re a hockey fan or like hearing about sports and competition, please read this! You will really enjoy it. It just wasn’t my thing. The plot besides hockey was good but there just wasn’t enough of it for me in between the hockey practices, games, and competition.
“It would be worth the secret-keeping when she made the team, when she made them all proud.”
Home or Away comes out 3/29.
After a disappointment, Olympic bound Leigh gives up the sport of hockey. Two decades later she finds herself back in the competition with her son. Same town, same sport, same people, same secrets.
I have loved Kathleen West’s previous books so I was really excited for this one. It already has great reviews. I feel like I’m the odd one out because I just couldn’t get into the groove of it. So, so much hockey. If you’re a hockey fan or like hearing about sports and competition, please read this! You will really enjoy it. It just wasn’t my thing. The plot besides hockey was good but there just wasn’t enough of it for me in between the hockey practices, games, and competition.
“It would be worth the secret-keeping when she made the team, when she made them all proud.”
Home or Away comes out 3/29.
January 30, 2022
Thanks to the publisher, via Netgalley, for an advance e-galley for honest review.
4.5 stars, rounded up. I think there is a wide range of readers who will find something to connect with in this story, whether it be the sports aspect (the competitive youth sports and the entire culture around that- in this story it's hockey, but I think the culture transcends and is likely similar, in different areas, for other sports-, or the story of two friends- one former Olympian and one who had her Olympic dreams crushed), the family story aspect, the timeliness of the examination of Leigh and her former coach's conduct.). Short chapters and a variety of perspectives make this a well paced read, while still focusing deeply on the characters.
4.5 stars, rounded up. I think there is a wide range of readers who will find something to connect with in this story, whether it be the sports aspect (the competitive youth sports and the entire culture around that- in this story it's hockey, but I think the culture transcends and is likely similar, in different areas, for other sports-, or the story of two friends- one former Olympian and one who had her Olympic dreams crushed), the family story aspect, the timeliness of the examination of Leigh and her former coach's conduct.). Short chapters and a variety of perspectives make this a well paced read, while still focusing deeply on the characters.
April 17, 2022
Not sure why this was a struggle other than book slump. Maybe I just don’t care enough about hockey?
Leigh’s past storyline wasn’t quite what I expected either
Leigh’s past storyline wasn’t quite what I expected either
April 21, 2022
This was a bit of a disappointment after enjoying the author’s first two novels. Quite a lot of hockey detail at the expense of plot development
February 21, 2022
Let me say, first of all, that I don't have a competitive bone in my body. I've never been into sports and even with games I do care about, it matters not at all to me whether I win or lose. I believe that youth sports are for kids who want to learn and have fun, not for overzealous parents trying to relive their own glory days or pad their egos by pressuring their children to compete, then getting upset when their players don't win a game or perform as expected. Because of these pre-existing feelings, I admit I went into HOME OR AWAY with some heavy biases which definitely affected my enjoyment of the book. That being said, the book did nothing to change those biases; in fact, it just reinforced them!
It shouldn't come as any surprise, considering what I said above, that I had a hard time relating to the characters in HOME OR AWAY. I simply don't understand people whose lives revolve completely around their children's sporting events. They make no sense to me at all. WHY would someone move to a completely different state for the athletic career of a NINE YEAR OLD? Or spend all their hours obsessing over game scores, the abilities of rival hockey players (who are NINE), and how well children are going to do in their next tournament? I don't get this AT ALL. So, yeah, I just couldn't relate to Leigh, Charlie, and their friends/associates. Because of this, I really never felt invested in their goals and challenges. The only character I cared about was young Gus and it had nothing to do with whether or not he won his games.
Leigh Mackenzie especially bugged me. Her actions—both in the present and the past—disgusted me. While maybe she wasn't ENTIRELY to blame for the former, she was wholly at fault for the latter. The only thing I respected about her, actually, was that she took responsibility for her own actions when she was a 21-year-old Olympic hopeful, even if it was just to herself. The fact that she later retracts all that and plays the victim? Eh. Or the fact that she never really has to answer for trying to influence the results of her son's tryouts? Ugh. I disliked Leigh from the beginning and nothing she did throughout the novel made me like her any more than that. In fact, I really couldn't understand why those around her still respected her and were on her side. That made no sense to me. If I found out a friend of mine had exchanged favors with someone in order to get her NINE YEAR OLD on a certain sports team, I would lose ALL respect for her. Just saying. Charlie's much more likable, but again, I don't get parents who make their young child's athletic career the center of their lives, so I couldn't really relate to him or his friends.
Obviously, I have some FEELINGS on this subject, but let's move on...
West does a good job bringing the whole crazy hockey culture thing to life. I could FEEL all the emotion resulting from the thrill of competition to the tension among the high-strung, obsessive parents to the crush of defeat and high expectations on young kids. While it made me angry that anyone would put such pressure on children, I admit that the constant conflict kept me burning through the pages. I wanted to know how the story was going to play out. Even though I didn't care much for any of the characters in the story, I did feel for young Gus.
While I can't say I loved this novel (Did I even like it? I'm not sure.), it did keep me reading. The story's plot and themes provide lots of food for thought, which could make for a very lively book club discussion.
If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
It shouldn't come as any surprise, considering what I said above, that I had a hard time relating to the characters in HOME OR AWAY. I simply don't understand people whose lives revolve completely around their children's sporting events. They make no sense to me at all. WHY would someone move to a completely different state for the athletic career of a NINE YEAR OLD? Or spend all their hours obsessing over game scores, the abilities of rival hockey players (who are NINE), and how well children are going to do in their next tournament? I don't get this AT ALL. So, yeah, I just couldn't relate to Leigh, Charlie, and their friends/associates. Because of this, I really never felt invested in their goals and challenges. The only character I cared about was young Gus and it had nothing to do with whether or not he won his games.
Leigh Mackenzie especially bugged me. Her actions—both in the present and the past—disgusted me. While maybe she wasn't ENTIRELY to blame for the former, she was wholly at fault for the latter. The only thing I respected about her, actually, was that she took responsibility for her own actions when she was a 21-year-old Olympic hopeful, even if it was just to herself. The fact that she later retracts all that and plays the victim? Eh. Or the fact that she never really has to answer for trying to influence the results of her son's tryouts? Ugh. I disliked Leigh from the beginning and nothing she did throughout the novel made me like her any more than that. In fact, I really couldn't understand why those around her still respected her and were on her side. That made no sense to me. If I found out a friend of mine had exchanged favors with someone in order to get her NINE YEAR OLD on a certain sports team, I would lose ALL respect for her. Just saying. Charlie's much more likable, but again, I don't get parents who make their young child's athletic career the center of their lives, so I couldn't really relate to him or his friends.
Obviously, I have some FEELINGS on this subject, but let's move on...
West does a good job bringing the whole crazy hockey culture thing to life. I could FEEL all the emotion resulting from the thrill of competition to the tension among the high-strung, obsessive parents to the crush of defeat and high expectations on young kids. While it made me angry that anyone would put such pressure on children, I admit that the constant conflict kept me burning through the pages. I wanted to know how the story was going to play out. Even though I didn't care much for any of the characters in the story, I did feel for young Gus.
While I can't say I loved this novel (Did I even like it? I'm not sure.), it did keep me reading. The story's plot and themes provide lots of food for thought, which could make for a very lively book club discussion.
If I could, I would give this book 3 1/2 stars; since I can't, I'm rounding up.
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April 18, 2022𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁 (Swipe> to see full synopsis)
- Leigh broke ties with her best friend Susy, her Minnesota hometown, and her teammates after being cut from the Women’s USA hockey team, losing her dream of competing in the 2002 Olympic Games.
- Twenty years later, she is happily married, a successful investment banker, and accepts a new job moving her family back to Minnesota so her son can play elite hockey.
- Back in Minnesota, Leigh must face the friends she ghosted, including Susy, now a two-time silver medalist, and Jeff, her former coach, currently under investigation for misconduct.
𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
* This story is told in dual timelines, from multiple POVs, with Leigh being the central character.
*Hockey is center stage, but this book is more about the complex moral dilemmas faced by the characters in the book.
*Great job describing the politically competitive world of youth sports and the lengths parents will go to for their children (or their egos)
I am a huge hockey fan, and while I am not a Hockey Mom, I was impressed with how accurate West was in describing the passion for the game, gameplay, and the crowd’s emotions during a youth hockey game.
I have met many women like Leigh in the workplace, and their singular, driven focus makes them successful in their careers. Some will find Leigh challenging to like as a person, but I hope most will appreciate that the moral and ethical decisions she faces are not always black and white.
- Leigh broke ties with her best friend Susy, her Minnesota hometown, and her teammates after being cut from the Women’s USA hockey team, losing her dream of competing in the 2002 Olympic Games.
- Twenty years later, she is happily married, a successful investment banker, and accepts a new job moving her family back to Minnesota so her son can play elite hockey.
- Back in Minnesota, Leigh must face the friends she ghosted, including Susy, now a two-time silver medalist, and Jeff, her former coach, currently under investigation for misconduct.
𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
* This story is told in dual timelines, from multiple POVs, with Leigh being the central character.
*Hockey is center stage, but this book is more about the complex moral dilemmas faced by the characters in the book.
*Great job describing the politically competitive world of youth sports and the lengths parents will go to for their children (or their egos)
I am a huge hockey fan, and while I am not a Hockey Mom, I was impressed with how accurate West was in describing the passion for the game, gameplay, and the crowd’s emotions during a youth hockey game.
I have met many women like Leigh in the workplace, and their singular, driven focus makes them successful in their careers. Some will find Leigh challenging to like as a person, but I hope most will appreciate that the moral and ethical decisions she faces are not always black and white.
January 17, 2024
This is a tough one to rate. My feelings about the book varied greatly as I read. My daughter played hockey as a youth, pretty much the same age as Gus. This book brought back all the memories, including the smell of the ice, the hotel stays for tournaments, the competitive parents, everything. At first, I hated how the author (I felt) made the entire organization look horrible - the players, the manipulation, the egos. But while she choose hockey as her premise, the story could be about any organization, sport or otherwise. As I continued to read, it began to give me a Hallmark feel and felt cheesy. I never was bored, but was uninterested in the self-centered characters, their affairs, and egotistically premise. What was the point and why should I care?
But then the switch came. I grew attached to both the outcome and the characters. Plus the lesson learned...it went from hockey, romance, me too movement, to the cutest little boy!
I do have to say as much as I enjoy hockey, watching my daughter play, and would have continued to support her. However, I'm glad at age nine she didn't belong in that competitive, cliquey of a hockey league, but we also didn't live in Minnesota.
But then the switch came. I grew attached to both the outcome and the characters. Plus the lesson learned...it went from hockey, romance, me too movement, to the cutest little boy!
I do have to say as much as I enjoy hockey, watching my daughter play, and would have continued to support her. However, I'm glad at age nine she didn't belong in that competitive, cliquey of a hockey league, but we also didn't live in Minnesota.
April 1, 2022
Leigh returns to her home town twenty years after she failed to make the Olympic US Hockey team. Her former best friend Susy, who did make the team still lives in Minnesota, coaching her own daughter’s hockey team. Also still in town, their former coach with whom Leigh had an affair who now stands accused of sexual impropriety.
I was initially disappointed HOME OR AWAY didn’t have the ‘privileged people behaving badly’ of Kathleen West’s previous book, but I quickly became enveloped in Leigh’s journey. Trying to be a good hockey mom, she feels forced into another quagmire with her former coach.
I took a while to warm up to Leigh and have empathy for her when coming clean about decisions she was coerced into making before she was engaged would have solved not just her problems, those of other’s as well. At times she’s cruel to her husband, loose with words that should never be spoken.
Is there a point where doing the right thing has taken too long? I think so, but it’s still better than never doing what’s right.
I was initially disappointed HOME OR AWAY didn’t have the ‘privileged people behaving badly’ of Kathleen West’s previous book, but I quickly became enveloped in Leigh’s journey. Trying to be a good hockey mom, she feels forced into another quagmire with her former coach.
I took a while to warm up to Leigh and have empathy for her when coming clean about decisions she was coerced into making before she was engaged would have solved not just her problems, those of other’s as well. At times she’s cruel to her husband, loose with words that should never be spoken.
Is there a point where doing the right thing has taken too long? I think so, but it’s still better than never doing what’s right.
September 29, 2022
Kathleen West takes us into the world of ultracompetitive youth hockey in Home or Away, set in Minnesota, the State of Hockey. You don't have to know much about hockey to identify with overly ambitious parents who spend thousands of dollars for equipment and one-on-one ice lessons for their budding 8-and 9-year-old stars on ice. West focuses her novel on two former Olympic-level women hockey players, Leigh and Susy, who made decisions 20 years ago that now affect their lives as parents of young hockey players. The story explores the inappropriate actions of a male coach with young women training for the Olympic hockey team selection and how it affects their adult lives. I found the characters predictable, but in a way that kept me reading. Although I anticipated their foolish behavior, I was invested enough to want to find out how their families would be affected. West has a good handle on the emotions of parenting, the willingness to do anything to have a child succeed. We've all been there, but most of us know when to stop. An especially effective technique was the recording of various characters' viewpoints during the past and present. Nine-year-old Gus, hockey prodigy, records his ups and downs and boundless determination in his Hockey Bible and they are spot-on. A quick, light read.
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