Jill Stone, an American radio journalist who married a Dutchman, has spent the past twenty years carefully curating the perfect Dutch life full of borrels-drinks, boats, bikes, and friends in the idyllic Dutch village of Loenen aan de Vecht, just outside Amsterdam. But it's time for Jill and her family to head to America, fulfilling the agreed-upon plan to spend the next twenty across the Atlantic so they could be closer to Jill's roots.
Everything was going according to plan when Jill got an unexpected job offer, her dream job - as NPR's European Correspondent. Only catch? The job is based in the Netherlands. While Jill wrestles with her decision to move home to America and give up everything she has worked for, husband Paul has an accident, landing him in a medically induced coma. As Paul recovers in the hospital, Jill discovers another surprise, forcing her to question where exactly she fits in - and how her plans for the life she might lead compare to the life she's come to love.
Hannah Huber is founder of Storyhouse Works, a self-publishing platform enabling international authors to put their work out into the world with as much agency as possible, creating excellent books.
Born and raised in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Hannah moved to Amsterdam for her master’s in American Studies and has called the Netherlands ‘home’ ever since.
Huber has written and published three books, 'Place', 'Queens' Row', and most recently she compiled an anthology, 'Unexpected Gifts: Stories of Change'
She lives in a small village just outside Amsterdam, with her Dutch husband and three children.
This book gave me an incredible sense of PLACE no pun intended!!! Amsterdam, and the Vecht River. Recognizable to all us locals in all its details. I found the book quite SPANNEND as well (kept me on the edge of my seat). Highly recommend.
I would have given this 4 stars had it not had so many typos and grammar mistakes. I loved the story about a young American woman marrying a Dutchman and going to live in the Netherlands for 20 years. I admired her sense of adventure and open mindedness. The description and comparison of life in a small Dutch village to the small town of Gettysburg where the young woman grew up was delightful! This book just needed better editing.