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Right Back Where We Started From
" In Right Back Where We Started From Joy Lanzendorfer has crafted a terrific first novel, one brimming with energy, wit, and emotional resonance. Sandra Sanborn is a wonderful character, very much alive on the page. And, the novel captures, vividly, some of the crazier times in California’s crazy history. Highly recommended!”--Peter Orner, author of Maggie Brown & Others A family saga tracing three generations of women from the California Gold Rush to World War II as they attempt to claim what they believe is rightfully theirs If misfortune hadn't gotten in the way, Sandra Sanborn would be where she belongs -- among the rich and privileged instead of standing outside a Hollywood studio wearing a sandwich board in the hope of someone discovering her. It's tough breaking into the movies during the Great Depression, but Sandra knows that she's destined for greatness. After all, her grandmother Vira crossed the country during the Gold Rush and established the Sanborns as one of San Francisco's most prominent families, and her mother Mabel grew up in a lavish mansion and married into an agricultural empire. Success, Sandra feels, is in her blood. She just needs a chance to prove it. In between failed auditions, Sandra receives a letter from a man claiming to be her father, which calls into question everything she believes about her family -- and herself. As she tries to climb the social ladder, family secrets lurk in the background, pulling her down. Until Sandra confronts the truth about how Vira and Mabel gained and lost their fortunes, she will always end up right back where she started from. Right Back Where We Started From is a sweeping, multigenerational work of fiction that explores the lust for ambition that entered into the American consciousness during the Gold Rush and how it affected our nation's ideas of success, failure, and the pursuit of happiness. It is a meticulously layered saga -- at once historically rich, romantic, and suspenseful -- about three determined and completely unforgettable women.
430 pages, Paperback
First published May 4, 2021
7 people are currently reading
4871 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
June 16, 2023
This story focuses on 3 generations of women - Vira, her daughter Mabel and her granddaughter Emma, who now calls herself Sandra.
It begins and ends abruptly. And it does not have likable characters.
The author does a relatively good job of describing the lands, the journey, the war effort and the struggles of the women, even the businesses and society of the times. I could feel myself present. But...
I didn't like these women. I didn't care about them. There wasn't anything to cheer about. I just wanted to get out of the scene as quickly as I entered the page. Not a good feeling at all.
It begins and ends abruptly. And it does not have likable characters.
The author does a relatively good job of describing the lands, the journey, the war effort and the struggles of the women, even the businesses and society of the times. I could feel myself present. But...
I didn't like these women. I didn't care about them. There wasn't anything to cheer about. I just wanted to get out of the scene as quickly as I entered the page. Not a good feeling at all.
May 18, 2021
⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Excellent book, but not a single likable character.
PROS
-- Gorgeous cover.
-- Impressively written (debut?)
-- Well paced.
-- Incredibly engaging plot.
-- Covers three generations of women and each story is woven together well.
-- Interesting characters.
-- Loved the time period(s) and setting. Especially the factual historical events taking place during each generation.
CONS
-- Nobody in this book was particularly likable! 😂
-- The ending was a little disappointing. I would have loved to have gotten a glimpse of how the rest of Sandra's life played out.
**ARC Via NetGallley**
PROS
-- Gorgeous cover.
-- Impressively written (debut?)
-- Well paced.
-- Incredibly engaging plot.
-- Covers three generations of women and each story is woven together well.
-- Interesting characters.
-- Loved the time period(s) and setting. Especially the factual historical events taking place during each generation.
CONS
-- Nobody in this book was particularly likable! 😂
-- The ending was a little disappointing. I would have loved to have gotten a glimpse of how the rest of Sandra's life played out.
**ARC Via NetGallley**
April 25, 2021
Sandra Sanborn believes she is destined for greatness. First she tries her hand at Hollywood and then returns to the Bay Area to seek her fortune. As a young woman, Sandra’s mother Mabel also lived her life as if she was entitled to the good life. Mabel’s mother Vira, traveled west in a covered wagon with her husband seeking their fortune during the California Gold Rush. Her thirst for living the life of society created a wedge between her and Mabel. Right Back Where We Started From does an excellent job creating a vivid picture of the world each generation lived through. This includes the San Francisco Earthquake, the Great Depression and World War II. The book is well written and moves at a good pace. The three generations of women, however, exhibit a level of drive and ambition that was so intense that I was unable to root for them. They were limited by society’s role for women during their times but they were also women who did not take responsibility for their actions. I was captivated by the setting and the imagery. I wish I cared more for the main characters.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in advance of its May 4, 2021 publication. It’s an impressive debut for author Joy Lanzendorfer. I’ll be looking out for her next book.
Rated 3.5 stars.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in advance of its May 4, 2021 publication. It’s an impressive debut for author Joy Lanzendorfer. I’ll be looking out for her next book.
Rated 3.5 stars.
May 10, 2021
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Ah, this book! I didn’t know whether to love the characters or hate them. But I could not put “Right Back Where We Started From” down and had to find out what happened!
I am a sucker for dramatic sagas surrounding generations of a family, and this book had it all. We meet three generations of women who come from the same family. They all face challenges and bad luck, where things don’t work out the way they hoped. So they settle down for what they can get, and realize that it is not life for them, and continue to make mistakes. There were times where I felt sorry for them, especially Vira and the way Elmer treats her. Similarly, I felt terrible for Mabel, especially during her time with Jared.
The author paces the story nicely, where you don’t know how it will turn out. Some characters disappear after the first few chapters, only to reappear in the end. Moreover, The author also brings the 1930s to life with the Golden Age of the cinema of Hollywood stars. I enjoyed the first half of the story as the author displays Sandra’s life as she tries to become the next star.
But there was a part of me that also disliked the characters so much. While I did not particularly like Frederick, I wouldn’t say I liked Sandra for how she misuses money and brings him down with her. Similarly, Mabel got on my nerves at times for the way she treated Arthur. I loved Arthur in the story and got emotional at times reading about him. The author wrote the characters so beautifully that you emotionally connect with them.
Hence, overall, I loved reading “Right Back Where We Started From” solely for the complex characters.
May 22, 2021
Joy Lanzendorfer's debut was a well written epic tale and multigenerational saga about the unforgettable Sanborn women - Sandy, Vira and Mabel whose stories and lives were incredibly portrayed through their drive and ambition.
Right Back Where We Started From was a character driven story about achieving dreams and destiny, despite the misfortunes that laid upon these women.
This historical fiction tale swept through the dreams made during the California Gold Rush, to dreams devastated by the Great Depression as the experiences of these women whose drive for success far exceeded the limits the society had put upon them during that time.
As a native Californian now living in the SoCal, I enjoyed the well researched writing about prominent times in California history that included the San Francisco earthquake, to the second World War, and to the glitz and glam of the 1930's Hollywood.
I could not stop turning the pages on this fantastic debut for its engaging story line, characters that jumped off the pages, and the beautifully rich and accurate detailed writing about the historical backdrop of this gorgeous sweeping story.
Well done Joy Lanzendorfer in this fantastic debut!
Right Back Where We Started From was a character driven story about achieving dreams and destiny, despite the misfortunes that laid upon these women.
This historical fiction tale swept through the dreams made during the California Gold Rush, to dreams devastated by the Great Depression as the experiences of these women whose drive for success far exceeded the limits the society had put upon them during that time.
As a native Californian now living in the SoCal, I enjoyed the well researched writing about prominent times in California history that included the San Francisco earthquake, to the second World War, and to the glitz and glam of the 1930's Hollywood.
I could not stop turning the pages on this fantastic debut for its engaging story line, characters that jumped off the pages, and the beautifully rich and accurate detailed writing about the historical backdrop of this gorgeous sweeping story.
Well done Joy Lanzendorfer in this fantastic debut!
May 16, 2021
Book Rating : ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Cover rating : 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Genre: Historical Fiction
Are you looking for a novel that spans three generations of women, and with characters you love to hate ? Well this is the one for you. Vira, her daughter Mabel and her granddaughter Sandra are all spoiled, self centred, and focused on marrying a wealthy man and living the high society life ( granted, not much other options exist for them ). And yet in search of this perfect life they are after, they each make the men they marry miserable, and find themselves alone in the world.
To be honest, these aren’t generally my favourite type of stories, but I really enjoyed this book and the author’s writing style! Also, I liked leaning a bit about the California gold rush, and the depression .
Cover rating : 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
Genre: Historical Fiction
Are you looking for a novel that spans three generations of women, and with characters you love to hate ? Well this is the one for you. Vira, her daughter Mabel and her granddaughter Sandra are all spoiled, self centred, and focused on marrying a wealthy man and living the high society life ( granted, not much other options exist for them ). And yet in search of this perfect life they are after, they each make the men they marry miserable, and find themselves alone in the world.
To be honest, these aren’t generally my favourite type of stories, but I really enjoyed this book and the author’s writing style! Also, I liked leaning a bit about the California gold rush, and the depression .
May 4, 2021
Joy Lanzendorfer’s Right Back Where We Started From tells the separate stories of three generations of women in the same family. Although we get glimpses of their childhoods and, in some cases their late years, the novel focuses primarily on their young adulthood, their aspirations, and their relationships with men. For those who enjoy or shy away from graphic sex, you won’t find it here.
The novel opens in June 1913 with Mabel, the middle generation, talking to her nearly seven-year-old daughter Emma and hinting to readers that Emma will later go by Sandra. “Everybody wants to come to California,” Mabel begins. As they look out over the landscape, Mabel tells Emma that she and husband Arthur Beard, who was Emma’s “real father,” once thought about buying the large expanse of land across the road, back in the days when Arthur owned the “prune empire.” Little Emma already knows the family story of lost fortune, apparently having heard it repeatedly. She knows how Mabel’s parents, Vira and Elmer Sanborn, came to California during the Gold Rush. She feels the unfairness of now living with Mabel in a “house with crooked floors and bug problems, when Mabel has lost her wealth while the neighbors are have built a thriving vineyard. She knows she and her mother “were destined for better.” After all, Vira and Elmer had proven as much by following Elmer’s big prospecting dream, traveling by Conestoga wagon to strike it rich.
However, Emma can never get an answer to her question about what happened to her “real father,” not the impoverished stepfather whose surname she bears, but Arthur Beard, who died before her birth. On this occasion, rather than answering Emma, Mabel cautions her daughter not to believe anything other people say. Most will lie, she insists, either out of jealousy or meanness. As Emma thinks about asking who hurt her family, Mabel appears to reassure her, telling her that she needn’t worry because mama will always tell her daughter the truth.
Lanzendorfer has set the scene, and readers next see Sandra Sandborn (assumed name of Emma Jones Guess) in Hollywood, September 1932, attempting to break into the movies after leaving her husband Billy Guess. She is wearing a company sandwich board and sent out onto the street to distribute coupons for a glass of free “rayo sunshine” orange juice. She knows this is only temporary. She’s in Hollywood now. Stardom is just around the corner; she has her infallible three-point plan for success. Meanwhile, Sandra looks back at two mysterious letters addressed to Emma Jones c/o Billy Guess. They had arrived a month apart from a stranger named John Hollingsworth, claiming to be her biological father. Because the prune empire magnate, Arthur Beard, was her her father, she knows this mysterious letter writer must be a scam artist—someone hoping to profit in some way from her.
As the book continues and the point of view shifts repeatedly between Emma/Sandra, her mother Mabel, and her grandmother Vira, Lanzendorfer develops the three women’s equally interesting stories. Each is estranged from her parents for different reasons, convinced she is an entirely different person than her mother.
Although historical events play a role in the women’s stories—such as the California Gold Rush, the San Francisco earthquake, and World War II--I would classify Right Back Where We Started From not as an historical novel but as a character-driven novel—the story of three women determined to achieve their destiny.
I was intrigued by one of Lanzendorfer’s comments in her acknowledgements: “Thank you to my dad, Rudolf Lanzendorfer , and my uncle, Richard Lanzendorfer, for letting me borrow family stories to write this work of fiction.” As a family genealogist, I wish she had elaborated on that point. If Right Back Where We Started From has much basis in family stories, she must have an interesting family!
Thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Press, and Joy Lanzendorfer for the advance reader copy of this recommended novel.
The novel opens in June 1913 with Mabel, the middle generation, talking to her nearly seven-year-old daughter Emma and hinting to readers that Emma will later go by Sandra. “Everybody wants to come to California,” Mabel begins. As they look out over the landscape, Mabel tells Emma that she and husband Arthur Beard, who was Emma’s “real father,” once thought about buying the large expanse of land across the road, back in the days when Arthur owned the “prune empire.” Little Emma already knows the family story of lost fortune, apparently having heard it repeatedly. She knows how Mabel’s parents, Vira and Elmer Sanborn, came to California during the Gold Rush. She feels the unfairness of now living with Mabel in a “house with crooked floors and bug problems, when Mabel has lost her wealth while the neighbors are have built a thriving vineyard. She knows she and her mother “were destined for better.” After all, Vira and Elmer had proven as much by following Elmer’s big prospecting dream, traveling by Conestoga wagon to strike it rich.
However, Emma can never get an answer to her question about what happened to her “real father,” not the impoverished stepfather whose surname she bears, but Arthur Beard, who died before her birth. On this occasion, rather than answering Emma, Mabel cautions her daughter not to believe anything other people say. Most will lie, she insists, either out of jealousy or meanness. As Emma thinks about asking who hurt her family, Mabel appears to reassure her, telling her that she needn’t worry because mama will always tell her daughter the truth.
Lanzendorfer has set the scene, and readers next see Sandra Sandborn (assumed name of Emma Jones Guess) in Hollywood, September 1932, attempting to break into the movies after leaving her husband Billy Guess. She is wearing a company sandwich board and sent out onto the street to distribute coupons for a glass of free “rayo sunshine” orange juice. She knows this is only temporary. She’s in Hollywood now. Stardom is just around the corner; she has her infallible three-point plan for success. Meanwhile, Sandra looks back at two mysterious letters addressed to Emma Jones c/o Billy Guess. They had arrived a month apart from a stranger named John Hollingsworth, claiming to be her biological father. Because the prune empire magnate, Arthur Beard, was her her father, she knows this mysterious letter writer must be a scam artist—someone hoping to profit in some way from her.
As the book continues and the point of view shifts repeatedly between Emma/Sandra, her mother Mabel, and her grandmother Vira, Lanzendorfer develops the three women’s equally interesting stories. Each is estranged from her parents for different reasons, convinced she is an entirely different person than her mother.
Although historical events play a role in the women’s stories—such as the California Gold Rush, the San Francisco earthquake, and World War II--I would classify Right Back Where We Started From not as an historical novel but as a character-driven novel—the story of three women determined to achieve their destiny.
I was intrigued by one of Lanzendorfer’s comments in her acknowledgements: “Thank you to my dad, Rudolf Lanzendorfer , and my uncle, Richard Lanzendorfer, for letting me borrow family stories to write this work of fiction.” As a family genealogist, I wish she had elaborated on that point. If Right Back Where We Started From has much basis in family stories, she must have an interesting family!
Thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Press, and Joy Lanzendorfer for the advance reader copy of this recommended novel.
August 15, 2021
Man, I would love to see Lanzendorfer's plot outline for this novel. Fortunes are lost and regained and lost again and characters slip into and out of new identities, it must look like a full-on conspiracy board with pins and string going everywhere.
I really enjoyed the tension between sympathizing with and disliking the characters. They're all clearly so limited by the few freedoms granted to women in their time, and you can see how much their ambitions and their ability to live life on their own terms are squashed by men who have different visions for that life. And at the same time, they're lousy partners to those men, manipulating and lying to them and trying in vain to achieve the life they "should" have rather than face reality head-on. You want to cheer them on for being strong-willed and at the same time shout at them to redirect that will to something that might actually bring them happiness and not more disappointment.
My one complaint is that the writing feels over-explain-y sometimes, telling the reader exactly what a character's motivations or thoughts are even when it's perfectly clear from their dialogue or actions. (On the other hand, the historical scene-setting feels quite natural and seamlessly woven into the story!)
Nice companion read to Gold Diggers as another take on the California Gold Rush allure of wealth and a fresh start as someone new.
I really enjoyed the tension between sympathizing with and disliking the characters. They're all clearly so limited by the few freedoms granted to women in their time, and you can see how much their ambitions and their ability to live life on their own terms are squashed by men who have different visions for that life. And at the same time, they're lousy partners to those men, manipulating and lying to them and trying in vain to achieve the life they "should" have rather than face reality head-on. You want to cheer them on for being strong-willed and at the same time shout at them to redirect that will to something that might actually bring them happiness and not more disappointment.
My one complaint is that the writing feels over-explain-y sometimes, telling the reader exactly what a character's motivations or thoughts are even when it's perfectly clear from their dialogue or actions. (On the other hand, the historical scene-setting feels quite natural and seamlessly woven into the story!)
Nice companion read to Gold Diggers as another take on the California Gold Rush allure of wealth and a fresh start as someone new.
May 21, 2021
Right Back Where We Started From by Joy Lanzendorfer is a well-written, multi-generaltional, historical fiction. It’s set in the mid-19th century through WWII in America.
I’ve been enjoying historical fiction quite a bit lately, and books like this are part of the reason why. I enjoy family sagas that span over time like this. The characters are well-developed and feel realistic, which makes the book easy to engage with and get lost in.
This is not told in a linear fashion. I really enjoyed switching between the time periods. I feel this author handled these switches with ease and I never felt lost. It kept me guessing through the secrets and how everything is connected.
I enjoyed Right Back Where We Started From and would recommend giving it a shot if you enjoy family sagas and historical fiction.
Thank you to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for the opportunity to be on this blog tour. I received a free copy of this book to review honestly. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
I’ve been enjoying historical fiction quite a bit lately, and books like this are part of the reason why. I enjoy family sagas that span over time like this. The characters are well-developed and feel realistic, which makes the book easy to engage with and get lost in.
This is not told in a linear fashion. I really enjoyed switching between the time periods. I feel this author handled these switches with ease and I never felt lost. It kept me guessing through the secrets and how everything is connected.
I enjoyed Right Back Where We Started From and would recommend giving it a shot if you enjoy family sagas and historical fiction.
Thank you to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for the opportunity to be on this blog tour. I received a free copy of this book to review honestly. All opinions are my own and unbiased.
September 23, 2022
Right Back Where We Started From is a wonderfully crafted generational saga about California's rich and ambitious past, and three determined and complex women.
This is an impressive debut novel. It's sweeping and engaging with interesting, though not particularly likeable female characters. BUT I loved that Lanzendorfer has told this story from this point in history of the American Dream from a female perspective instead of the typical male point of view. And cudos for how she unfolded and weaved these womens stories together while covering a century of California's history. More and more I'm enjoying historical fiction and I found the writing engrossing, the moral of the story compelling and the short chapters really helped me fly through this thick book. A great read if you like historic fiction and or generational stories. Thank You @blackstonepublishing for sending this my way opinions are my own.
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
This is an impressive debut novel. It's sweeping and engaging with interesting, though not particularly likeable female characters. BUT I loved that Lanzendorfer has told this story from this point in history of the American Dream from a female perspective instead of the typical male point of view. And cudos for how she unfolded and weaved these womens stories together while covering a century of California's history. More and more I'm enjoying historical fiction and I found the writing engrossing, the moral of the story compelling and the short chapters really helped me fly through this thick book. A great read if you like historic fiction and or generational stories. Thank You @blackstonepublishing for sending this my way opinions are my own.
For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
August 24, 2022
This book is a multigenerational story that examines three women who believe they deserve the best that life has to offer. Each is willing to do whatever it takes to marry someone wealthy and be a part of high society, but it seems that with each step they take towards that dream, they end up two steps back.
This was an amazing debut novel! I enjoyed seeing the parallels in each woman’s life. The author does a great job describing what each woman is going through and tying in the time period and events in California from the Gold Rush until WWII. Even though the characters do not have many great qualities, they are all very interesting and I found myself really rooting for each woman to achieve their dreams for their future and the future of their family. I do wish I could have seen how the rest of Sandra’s life played out and know whether she found what she was looking for.
This was an amazing debut novel! I enjoyed seeing the parallels in each woman’s life. The author does a great job describing what each woman is going through and tying in the time period and events in California from the Gold Rush until WWII. Even though the characters do not have many great qualities, they are all very interesting and I found myself really rooting for each woman to achieve their dreams for their future and the future of their family. I do wish I could have seen how the rest of Sandra’s life played out and know whether she found what she was looking for.
May 24, 2021
This read gives you the stories of 3 generations of women: Vira, Mabel, and Sandra. We read about their lives in three different time periods, the connections of family vs lovers vs society, and how the role of men impacts their lives. While each woman's struggle is different:
Vira's goal of respectability
Mabel's goal of wealth
Sandra's goal of fame and all that comes with it
They all have a shared bloodline and goals to be better than where they came. As the generations go on they also start to carry around a sense of entitlement even.
.
We are taken from Maine to California, from the Gold Rush to Hollywood. We see how things change over time for women BUT we also see what themes are pervasive through all 3 generations and even today.
.
The characters are flawed but realistically so. Interesting read for those who like hist fic with multiple timelines and this period of American history!!
Vira's goal of respectability
Mabel's goal of wealth
Sandra's goal of fame and all that comes with it
They all have a shared bloodline and goals to be better than where they came. As the generations go on they also start to carry around a sense of entitlement even.
.
We are taken from Maine to California, from the Gold Rush to Hollywood. We see how things change over time for women BUT we also see what themes are pervasive through all 3 generations and even today.
.
The characters are flawed but realistically so. Interesting read for those who like hist fic with multiple timelines and this period of American history!!
July 25, 2021
Vira has absolutely no character development. Says all she wants is a nice husband, house, and family. But she chafes at anything her husband does. Sits too wide. She views him as pulling her to her knees on the wagon stairs to look up at him and feels humiliated. She somehow didn't know he wanted to move to Cali Gold Rush, although everyone was talking about it at the party he was at when they met. Also , says she wants to be an obedient wife like her mom but just can't. Doesn't jive with earlier statement about "all she wants". 🤦♀️
Sandra is more engaging. But she's mad a man lied to her and said his friend could get her registered with Central Casting. So she went on a date with him. But she's using him too but not seeing it.
Oiy. Time to dump it.
Sandra is more engaging. But she's mad a man lied to her and said his friend could get her registered with Central Casting. So she went on a date with him. But she's using him too but not seeing it.
Oiy. Time to dump it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2022
Last read of 2021 and first read of 2022! Finally finished this one; I’m so glad I did! Joy’s novel is rich in history with multiple POVs and timelines. It also teaches us the importance of family. The characters were flawed and broken, but that is what made them beautiful! I will be looking for more novels from Joy in the future!
May 2, 2021
This novel followed three women, all in the same family for decades as each had hardships and went through life. I like how the author wrote these characters and the storyline bounced between them all, it was almost like reading three books in one with the separate story lines that do all come together.
Vira crossed the Great Plains in a wagon train with her husband hoping to strick it rich in the West, the land of the gold. Although a bit late to the start, he was determined that they would make it rich and there was gold to be found, but along the way Vira gets more and more worried that maybe this wasn’t what she thought she was signing up for when she married Elmer.
Mabel grew up far from what her mother did, and knows nothing much of being poor or learning how to live with what you have. But Mabel is not quite understanding of why her mother can often be the way she is and makes a fateful decision one night that costs her everything. Everything that she works for the rest of her life trying to get back.
Sandra headed to Hollywood, she is going to make it big as an actress. She is sick of following around, what she considered her deadbeat husband and his band. She didn’t sign up for that type of life and she wants to live like the rich do. She wants the mansion on the hill, the lavish fur coats, and to dine with the elite through special invitation only. But as the Depression finally grips Hollywood her dreams are struck down yet again.
These three women all have hardships, and yet there is a common theme that runs through all of their lives. Often you hear of the recycle repeating with each generation, and this story is a great example of how the apple often does not fall too far from the tree no matter how hard we work at breaking from it.
Thank you to the author for the free book, and Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for the invite, I liked this historical fiction in that it touched on various historical events through history and how these women lived through them with their different perspectives.
Vira crossed the Great Plains in a wagon train with her husband hoping to strick it rich in the West, the land of the gold. Although a bit late to the start, he was determined that they would make it rich and there was gold to be found, but along the way Vira gets more and more worried that maybe this wasn’t what she thought she was signing up for when she married Elmer.
Mabel grew up far from what her mother did, and knows nothing much of being poor or learning how to live with what you have. But Mabel is not quite understanding of why her mother can often be the way she is and makes a fateful decision one night that costs her everything. Everything that she works for the rest of her life trying to get back.
Sandra headed to Hollywood, she is going to make it big as an actress. She is sick of following around, what she considered her deadbeat husband and his band. She didn’t sign up for that type of life and she wants to live like the rich do. She wants the mansion on the hill, the lavish fur coats, and to dine with the elite through special invitation only. But as the Depression finally grips Hollywood her dreams are struck down yet again.
These three women all have hardships, and yet there is a common theme that runs through all of their lives. Often you hear of the recycle repeating with each generation, and this story is a great example of how the apple often does not fall too far from the tree no matter how hard we work at breaking from it.
Thank you to the author for the free book, and Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for the invite, I liked this historical fiction in that it touched on various historical events through history and how these women lived through them with their different perspectives.
December 18, 2020
Emma ‘Sandra’ Sanborn has it all figured out. She’ll head to Hollywood, get discovered, and become a movie star, Who cares that there’s a depression going on? The movies are depression-proof. Besides, she has to earn back the fortune lost when her father, who had a prune empire, died in the San Francisco earthquake of 1906.
Right Back Where We Started From is freelance writer Joy Lanzendorfer’s first novel. This multi-generational saga follows Sandra Sanborn, her mother Mabel, and her grandmother, Vira, in their efforts to achieve the greatness each believes is her destiny..
I enjoyed this book! The cast of characters were unlikeable but in a way that made them still feel human and I was able to find myself rooting for them anyways. Sandra’s story is told with Vira’s, and later Mabel’s, stories interspersed. The story of the Sanborn women takes you through the California Gold Rush, the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, the Great Depression, and WWII. Sometimes with historical fiction I feel like the era becomes a character of its own and I didn’t feel that with this novel. I knew it wan’t modern day but I found myself forgetting a couple times. I’ll be honest, the life-shattering letter felt more like an aside through much of the story, and even the climax of that plot felt underwhelming. I much preferred the other storylines in the novel. The ending felt sudden, and I was looking for more, but it was fitting.!
Coming in May 2021, I think this will be a nice, light summer read for people who enjoy historical fiction and unlikeable characters.
NetGalley provided me with an Advanced Read Copy in exchange for my honest review.
Right Back Where We Started From is freelance writer Joy Lanzendorfer’s first novel. This multi-generational saga follows Sandra Sanborn, her mother Mabel, and her grandmother, Vira, in their efforts to achieve the greatness each believes is her destiny..
I enjoyed this book! The cast of characters were unlikeable but in a way that made them still feel human and I was able to find myself rooting for them anyways. Sandra’s story is told with Vira’s, and later Mabel’s, stories interspersed. The story of the Sanborn women takes you through the California Gold Rush, the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, the Great Depression, and WWII. Sometimes with historical fiction I feel like the era becomes a character of its own and I didn’t feel that with this novel. I knew it wan’t modern day but I found myself forgetting a couple times. I’ll be honest, the life-shattering letter felt more like an aside through much of the story, and even the climax of that plot felt underwhelming. I much preferred the other storylines in the novel. The ending felt sudden, and I was looking for more, but it was fitting.!
Coming in May 2021, I think this will be a nice, light summer read for people who enjoy historical fiction and unlikeable characters.
NetGalley provided me with an Advanced Read Copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 30, 2022
This was well written and the story was engaging. However, none of the characters were like able in any way. About halfway through, I struggled to continue because the main characters were so selfish and, frankly, lacking in any insight into how their own choices caused their troubles; instead blaming those (usually husbands) for their unhappiness. These are not strong female characters, they are self absorbed harpies.
May 9, 2021
I love novels like this so I couldn't resist picking this up.
We follow three women through their adventure to try and make something of themselves. We mainly follow Sandra who wants to be a Hollywood star and make something of her life. In between failed auditions, Sandra receives a letter from a man claiming to be her father which makes Sandra question everything she believes about her family and herself. At the same time, we follow her grandma's and mother's story and their own struggles to try and become successful.
I love multigenerational stories. The past really impacts the future, especially for families.
These three women are sooo similar and little do they know it. Maybe if they had open communication they could keep the past from repeating itself. Sure money and fame are wonderful....but it's a hard road and is it really worth it? And honestly, these women do NOT have good luck in love. Maybe if they had open conversations they could help each other? Crazy notion ;)
But yes - their stories are similar but oh so different. Vira just wanted a nice house and a big family surrounded by her friends, but she is forced to follow her husband to California. Mabel ran away from home and thought she married a Prune Farmer who owned an Empire, but "Empire" is a stretch. Then there is Sandra. She left her first husband so she could follow her dream and try and become a star and she finds herself married and forced to follow him too. Each is estranged from her mother and is convinced they will do better because they are not like their mother at all. Oooooo and here is where open communication is key lol!
I had major issues with each of these ladies, but I still wanted them to find happiness. They are jerks and selfish, but it is hard not to root for them. Very strange! Normally I wouldn't give a lick about characters like this...but there is something about them that you can't help but watch and hope they succeed in life. To be fair....their husbands are jerks too. They for sure lied to them. Seeeeee history repeats itself.
Honestly - I must applaud the author. I really feel like she did a wonderful job showing us that humans are complex creatures. Humans can be self-serving for sure but there is always a light of hope because everyone just wants to be happy. The author also did a fantastic job bringing all these different eras to life! The transitions and back-and-forth POV switching were seamless and easy to follow.
I am a little bummed by the ending. It was pretty open-ended. Maybe we'll get a follow-up someday because I want to know what is next for Sandra.
All-in-all, I really liked this. I enjoyed following these three women to try and make something of their lives and try to prove they are not like their mothers. The ending was a little bit of a bummer for me and I want more. One can hope! I for sure recommend this for those looking for a nice historical fiction for the summer! I'll give this 4 stars.
We follow three women through their adventure to try and make something of themselves. We mainly follow Sandra who wants to be a Hollywood star and make something of her life. In between failed auditions, Sandra receives a letter from a man claiming to be her father which makes Sandra question everything she believes about her family and herself. At the same time, we follow her grandma's and mother's story and their own struggles to try and become successful.
I love multigenerational stories. The past really impacts the future, especially for families.
These three women are sooo similar and little do they know it. Maybe if they had open communication they could keep the past from repeating itself. Sure money and fame are wonderful....but it's a hard road and is it really worth it? And honestly, these women do NOT have good luck in love. Maybe if they had open conversations they could help each other? Crazy notion ;)
But yes - their stories are similar but oh so different. Vira just wanted a nice house and a big family surrounded by her friends, but she is forced to follow her husband to California. Mabel ran away from home and thought she married a Prune Farmer who owned an Empire, but "Empire" is a stretch. Then there is Sandra. She left her first husband so she could follow her dream and try and become a star and she finds herself married and forced to follow him too. Each is estranged from her mother and is convinced they will do better because they are not like their mother at all. Oooooo and here is where open communication is key lol!
I had major issues with each of these ladies, but I still wanted them to find happiness. They are jerks and selfish, but it is hard not to root for them. Very strange! Normally I wouldn't give a lick about characters like this...but there is something about them that you can't help but watch and hope they succeed in life. To be fair....their husbands are jerks too. They for sure lied to them. Seeeeee history repeats itself.
Honestly - I must applaud the author. I really feel like she did a wonderful job showing us that humans are complex creatures. Humans can be self-serving for sure but there is always a light of hope because everyone just wants to be happy. The author also did a fantastic job bringing all these different eras to life! The transitions and back-and-forth POV switching were seamless and easy to follow.
I am a little bummed by the ending. It was pretty open-ended. Maybe we'll get a follow-up someday because I want to know what is next for Sandra.
All-in-all, I really liked this. I enjoyed following these three women to try and make something of their lives and try to prove they are not like their mothers. The ending was a little bit of a bummer for me and I want more. One can hope! I for sure recommend this for those looking for a nice historical fiction for the summer! I'll give this 4 stars.
May 24, 2021
Read my review on NovelsAlive.com by clicking the link below. It is also posted in full.
https://novelsalive.com/2021/05/24/3-...
Right Back Where We Started From by Joy Lanzendorfer was a difficult read for many reasons. It was lengthy at four hundred pages and then ended abruptly. The back and forth between the lives and often the individual events of the three generations of women—Vira, her daughter Mabel and her granddaughter Emma who now calls herself Sandra, didn’t give the story a good flow. It centers on three strong women who are hard to love or like because they don’t get the life they want or think they deserve. It’s historical fiction that begins in the mid-1800s in Maine as we travel by covered wagon to California, where most of the story takes place, but that’s not where the book begins. The story ends in 1944 and not how I was expecting it to, but all three women seem to get what they deserve! The mother and daughter relationships were difficult at best.
Vira, Mabel, and Sandra have a darkness to them, and it spreads to others they meet. They all know what they want out of life, and it’s not what they ultimately get. Vira seemed the most genuine, although she wanted her husband to be the best he could be even if he found that life boring and wanted more adventure. She gave in to him since that’s what a good wife does, but she never let him forget it the rest of his life as she molded him to what their life should be. Mabel and Sandra have secrets that add layers to the story as we try to find out the truths. They are both deceitful and seem made from the same cloth. Sandra’s lists of what she thinks the next steps she needs to take in her life, at every wrong turn, offered a little levity to the story. Sandra relies too much on what others think of her, her situation, or life in general which always leaves her wanting more.
Ms. Lanzendorfer excelled in describing the lands, the journey, the war effort, the struggles, the businesses, and society and she made me feel like I was there. There was romance and love woven throughout, but it wasn’t the central theme in telling the tale. There were hopes and dreams that were dashed and not just for the three women. The men they come in contact with and make their lives with also don’t have the lives or women they hope for. We feel the struggles given the eras that the book is set in, and there were often heartbreaking moments.
This is Ms. Lanzendorfer’s debut novel. I would probably give another of her books a try if it had a more upbeat feel.
https://novelsalive.com/2021/05/24/3-...
Right Back Where We Started From by Joy Lanzendorfer was a difficult read for many reasons. It was lengthy at four hundred pages and then ended abruptly. The back and forth between the lives and often the individual events of the three generations of women—Vira, her daughter Mabel and her granddaughter Emma who now calls herself Sandra, didn’t give the story a good flow. It centers on three strong women who are hard to love or like because they don’t get the life they want or think they deserve. It’s historical fiction that begins in the mid-1800s in Maine as we travel by covered wagon to California, where most of the story takes place, but that’s not where the book begins. The story ends in 1944 and not how I was expecting it to, but all three women seem to get what they deserve! The mother and daughter relationships were difficult at best.
Vira, Mabel, and Sandra have a darkness to them, and it spreads to others they meet. They all know what they want out of life, and it’s not what they ultimately get. Vira seemed the most genuine, although she wanted her husband to be the best he could be even if he found that life boring and wanted more adventure. She gave in to him since that’s what a good wife does, but she never let him forget it the rest of his life as she molded him to what their life should be. Mabel and Sandra have secrets that add layers to the story as we try to find out the truths. They are both deceitful and seem made from the same cloth. Sandra’s lists of what she thinks the next steps she needs to take in her life, at every wrong turn, offered a little levity to the story. Sandra relies too much on what others think of her, her situation, or life in general which always leaves her wanting more.
Ms. Lanzendorfer excelled in describing the lands, the journey, the war effort, the struggles, the businesses, and society and she made me feel like I was there. There was romance and love woven throughout, but it wasn’t the central theme in telling the tale. There were hopes and dreams that were dashed and not just for the three women. The men they come in contact with and make their lives with also don’t have the lives or women they hope for. We feel the struggles given the eras that the book is set in, and there were often heartbreaking moments.
This is Ms. Lanzendorfer’s debut novel. I would probably give another of her books a try if it had a more upbeat feel.
August 26, 2021
What an incredible debut! While reading it I fell into a rabbit hole of researching the Californian Gold Rush (mid 19th century) and the earthquakes in San Francisco. Feeling inspired to learn more about something is one of the best things a book can bring, in my opinion. Apart from sparking an interest in American history, the writing style and descriptions (even the small gestures, such as a woman holding a cigarette elegantly) are so beautiful!
Normally it's a bit harder for me to like a book when it has only unlikeable main characters in it, but in this case I wanted to know how the lives of these three generations of women (grandmother, mother, daughter) would evolve over time. I expected the women to change with age, learn from their mistakes, change their outlook on life, become more soft and less selfish, but that didn't happen. These women lacked self-reflection but also found themselves in toxic relationships with men and female friends. The only truly good and respectable characters seemed to be Casey (Sandra's female friend) and Arthur, Mabel's husband and orchard farmer. Having characters that never seem to learn might seem annoying, but I could also muster understanding for the women's dreaminess and aspirations to be independent or make a good life for themselves. At least they had spunk, so that balanced out their weaknesses a bit.
The story had me hooked right from the start with Sandra's struggle to become a movie star in Hollywood during the Great Depression. I wanted to know if she'd make it as a superstar after all the setbacks she experienced. The writing and situation of Vira and her husband going out on their journey to dig for gold in California reminded me of one of the best books I read in 2021, The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. Both books are in part about a woman going on a perilous journey to California in search of a better life. Hannah and Lanzendorfer share a talent for creating credible characters and setting the scene as if you're right there with them.
I listened to it as an audiobook, which I would recommend as the female narrator's husky voice influenced the experience very much; the story felt like a real throwback to the 1850s, 1930s, etc. The story gave off a vintage vibe somehow, which I loved.
I look forward to Lanzendorfer's next book!
Normally it's a bit harder for me to like a book when it has only unlikeable main characters in it, but in this case I wanted to know how the lives of these three generations of women (grandmother, mother, daughter) would evolve over time. I expected the women to change with age, learn from their mistakes, change their outlook on life, become more soft and less selfish, but that didn't happen. These women lacked self-reflection but also found themselves in toxic relationships with men and female friends. The only truly good and respectable characters seemed to be Casey (Sandra's female friend) and Arthur, Mabel's husband and orchard farmer. Having characters that never seem to learn might seem annoying, but I could also muster understanding for the women's dreaminess and aspirations to be independent or make a good life for themselves. At least they had spunk, so that balanced out their weaknesses a bit.
The story had me hooked right from the start with Sandra's struggle to become a movie star in Hollywood during the Great Depression. I wanted to know if she'd make it as a superstar after all the setbacks she experienced. The writing and situation of Vira and her husband going out on their journey to dig for gold in California reminded me of one of the best books I read in 2021, The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. Both books are in part about a woman going on a perilous journey to California in search of a better life. Hannah and Lanzendorfer share a talent for creating credible characters and setting the scene as if you're right there with them.
I listened to it as an audiobook, which I would recommend as the female narrator's husky voice influenced the experience very much; the story felt like a real throwback to the 1850s, 1930s, etc. The story gave off a vintage vibe somehow, which I loved.
I look forward to Lanzendorfer's next book!
September 14, 2022
Right Back Where We Started From is a gorgeously written historical fiction that follows three generations of women beginning during the California Gold Rush. Sandra comes from a long line of successful woman and believes she is destined for greatness within the booming world of Hollywood. When she receives a letter from a man claiming to be her father, it sets her off on a path of self and familial discovery.
The writing in this novel is simply beautiful. The atmosphere is perfect in both eras explored and made California sound absolutely stunning. For a longer book, coming in just over 400 pages, I thought the pacing was well done and kept me engaged throughout the story.
My sole gripe is with the characters - I found all three women to be wholly unlikeable. I had a really hard time relating to them and could not convince myself to root for them. Their "ambition" felt way more like "entitlement" too me and I was frequently rolling my eyes.
If you're looking for a sweeping generational story with characters you love to hate and a gorgeous back drop, this is it! I gave this book 4 stars on my Goodreads, many thanks to Blackstone Pub for my gifted copy!
The writing in this novel is simply beautiful. The atmosphere is perfect in both eras explored and made California sound absolutely stunning. For a longer book, coming in just over 400 pages, I thought the pacing was well done and kept me engaged throughout the story.
My sole gripe is with the characters - I found all three women to be wholly unlikeable. I had a really hard time relating to them and could not convince myself to root for them. Their "ambition" felt way more like "entitlement" too me and I was frequently rolling my eyes.
If you're looking for a sweeping generational story with characters you love to hate and a gorgeous back drop, this is it! I gave this book 4 stars on my Goodreads, many thanks to Blackstone Pub for my gifted copy!
September 10, 2021
Right Back Where We Started From made me think about all the things we intentionally and inadvertently teach our kids, for better and worse.
This story spans three generations of women, through three difficult periods in American history. The setting is incredibly well done. I felt like I’d been transported back in time, and I could honestly feel what it must have been like for these women.
I have to say that I didn’t particularly like any of the women, though I did find them interesting and I understood them. This, I think, is the crux of the story. While I didn’t necessarily agree with their behavior, I understood their motivations, and this is the point of human connection.
Regardless of how you feel about the women, this is a story that comes alive around you, immersing you in the eras so that you’re startled when you look up and realize you’re not there with them.
*I received a free copy from Blackstone Publishing.*
This story spans three generations of women, through three difficult periods in American history. The setting is incredibly well done. I felt like I’d been transported back in time, and I could honestly feel what it must have been like for these women.
I have to say that I didn’t particularly like any of the women, though I did find them interesting and I understood them. This, I think, is the crux of the story. While I didn’t necessarily agree with their behavior, I understood their motivations, and this is the point of human connection.
Regardless of how you feel about the women, this is a story that comes alive around you, immersing you in the eras so that you’re startled when you look up and realize you’re not there with them.
*I received a free copy from Blackstone Publishing.*
May 14, 2021
I don't particularly enjoy multigenerational family sagas and everyone in RBWWSF is sort of detestable, but I read this through and mostly enjoyed it. Pleasingly fast paced and loaded with interesting period detail, the story revolves around women monomaniacally focused on regaining lost family status through social climbing. They hook up with boy-men living in fantasy worlds or misogynists and suffer from the appallingly sexist and classist restrictions their times, but face their travails with an admirable clear-eyed resilience. Alas, the characters' extreme focus on economic ambition (though perfectly plausible!) drags readers into their constricted reality, a place with little or no room for the political, religious, intellectual, or artistic dramas that make history interesting.
March 25, 2021
RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED FROM has all the markings of a book I would love: female-driven, with a Hollywood-setting. However, the Hollywood setting falls away quite quickly and the power of a female-driven novel seems too simplistic as the female characters seem driven by only one thing: to be rich. Whilst Lanzendorfer has written an easy read, no character is interesting enough or manages to go beyond their one-dimensionality to warrant any interest. This had such potential but it feels too light and misdirected. Maybe that's the point, but I wanted more.
Thanks to NetGalley, Joy Lanzendorfer and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley, Joy Lanzendorfer and Blackstone Publishing for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
April 2, 2024
I'm shocked that I'm rating this 4 stars. The characters were so unlikeable, and yet, the book sucked me in and I read it in a day. It feels accurate when it comes to family cycles and generational abuse. The theme of the book made me feel grateful for what I have. Despite the characters being so unlikeable, I unfortunately related to one of them in some ways, and thus feel like I can learn from her mistakes. This is a great debut novel from the author, and I look forward to seeing what comes next from her. This book isn't for everyone, but it was compelling. I enjoyed how it spanned over three generations as well, it was interesting to see bits of history and the effects on the characters.
January 12, 2024
This book was really engaging and well written, at many times hard to put down. However, like other reviewers have said, the characters were not like able and the ending was not satisfying! I was frustrated with the characters often, and while I know they may be products of their times, the main character often seemed selfish and naive. I did love the generational aspect and really enjoyed having multiple storylines to follow.
September 22, 2021
It’s not often I read a novel and dislike the main character. Sandra was delusional about her talents and what life owed her. A social climber who envisioned herself a socialite and ruined numerous relationships trying to attain her goal. Her mother Mabel was no better and she too had a disastrous life.
March 5, 2021
The story plot is a 3.5. It alternates between a daughter, Sandra and her mother and grandmother’s lives. Setting is mid 19th century to 1940’s in California. Sadly, I just did like any of the characters! They were all self-serving liars who only wanted to be rich.
August 20, 2021
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Growing up poor in 1930s California, Sandra dreams of Hollywood and becoming a star. Meeting Frederick, a photographer, offers her more chance to see her dream come true, but circumstances can change, and do !
Growing up poor in 1930s California, Sandra dreams of Hollywood and becoming a star. Meeting Frederick, a photographer, offers her more chance to see her dream come true, but circumstances can change, and do !
June 1, 2021
Pretty Good
Good transitions from one generation to the next. Not very likable characters but, nonetheless, believable. Interesting plot and ending to the book.
Good transitions from one generation to the next. Not very likable characters but, nonetheless, believable. Interesting plot and ending to the book.
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