What do you think?
Rate this book
The Long Way Home
In the vein of Maeve Binchy, Rosamunde Pilcher, and Nicholas Sparks, New York Times bestselling author Robin Pilcher returns with his most enchanting novel yet, filled with captivating twists and turns of heart. When Claire Barclay receives news that her beloved stepfather has had a stroke, she’s more than a little shaken. Leo is her last real relative, and his own children rarely check up on the old man. Claire and her husband, Art, leave New York and fly back to Scotland to care for him during the summer. Their visit makes clear that Leo is no longer capable of living on his own, but he is determined to stay in his beloved old house. Art comes up with the idea of turning the place into a conference center, thinking they could purchase the place from Leo and build him a cottage on the property. But the situation is much more complicated than it seems. Claire’s old flame, Jonas Fairwether, has become Leo’s caretaker and trusted confidant. Though Claire distrusts Jonas’s motives, Leo chooses to take his advice to put the house up for public auction rather than sell directly to Art and Claire. Claire is immediately suspicious, and even more so when she finds out that another application has been submitted to develop the property. Does Jonas Fairwether want to knock down the Leo’s house and build a development? It looks like whoever is behind the plan is being driven by financial gain, but there may be an even stronger motive.The Long Way Home will keep readers on the edge of their seats. This is a masterful novel from a master storyteller.
Audio CD
First published January 1, 2001
About the author
Robin Pilcher
8 books116 followersRobin Pilcher was born on 10 August 1950, the eldest son of author Rosamunde Pilcher, née Scott (aka Jane Fraser) and Graham Hope Pilcher.
He has been a cameraman, a songwriter, and a farmer, co-managed a mail order business, and has had numerous other jobs.
He lives with his wife and children near Dundee, Scotland, and in the Sierra de Aracena mountain area of Andalusia, Spain, where he plans to establish a writing institute supported by the Pilcher Foundation of Creative Writing.
He has been a cameraman, a songwriter, and a farmer, co-managed a mail order business, and has had numerous other jobs.
He lives with his wife and children near Dundee, Scotland, and in the Sierra de Aracena mountain area of Andalusia, Spain, where he plans to establish a writing institute supported by the Pilcher Foundation of Creative Writing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews
September 12, 2012
I still pick books from nowhere and this one is an example. Picking book from nowhere means there is no friend recommending it, no best book lists consulted, no checking on GR, and no reading of blurbs. You don't know the author and haven't read any of his or her previous works. You just pick it up and base everything on the title and the writer's name. It's a hit or miss thing but it is fun. Especially if the book turns out great or even OK just like this one by Robin Pilcher. I liked this book.
It's a light read and a good breather from reading Bolano, Foer and Capote. The prose is very contemporary and readable. The plot is thin, yes, but reasonably interesting.
The story is like a modern retelling of the fairy tale Cinderella. Clare's (Cinderella) mother is a widow and decides to have a boyfriend, Leo. Since Leo lives in Scotland, Clare and his mother have to sell their house and join Leo in Scotland. Leo is a good-natured and he ends up loving Clare (okay, this is opposite of the wicked stepmother of Cinderella but wait...) more than his own children, the appalling, manipulative evil stepbrother Marcus and stepsister Charity (more than the equivalent of Cinderella's wicked stepsisters) that Clare has to live with. Then since we have Cinderella err Clare as main protagonist, we must have a leading man so here comes Jonas (Prince Charming.) However, unlike in the fairy tale, Jonas is just a poor boy neighbor of Leo's family so Jonas ends up as Clare's playmate. They are growing up so they fall in love with each other. So, Marcus and Charity become jealous because they don't want their stepsister to be happy and live in their house and they are so evil they can even make the Prince Charming err Jonas's life miserable.
Fast forward to the present time. Clare is married to Art and they are owners of a pricey restaurant in Manhattan. Jonas is also married with Liv and they are still Leo's neighbor in Scotland. Clare's mother has been dead for sometime and Leo is showing signs of dementia and so he has to prepare for his eventual demise. Who will get his property? I will not tell you because that's where the meat of the story is and I don't want to spoil your fun in case you also try to pick this book from "nowhere."
Come on, try it. Pick a book from nowhere and you will be surprise how liberating it is. You don't have to worry that your rating will slight your friend's feeling, you don't feel pressured to like what critics and experts claim to be the best books and you will not feel intellectually inadequate if you don't.
The best part of this, I guess, is that you give the lesser-known authors to be a part of your life.
It's a light read and a good breather from reading Bolano, Foer and Capote. The prose is very contemporary and readable. The plot is thin, yes, but reasonably interesting.
The story is like a modern retelling of the fairy tale Cinderella. Clare's (Cinderella) mother is a widow and decides to have a boyfriend, Leo. Since Leo lives in Scotland, Clare and his mother have to sell their house and join Leo in Scotland. Leo is a good-natured and he ends up loving Clare (okay, this is opposite of the wicked stepmother of Cinderella but wait...) more than his own children, the appalling, manipulative evil stepbrother Marcus and stepsister Charity (more than the equivalent of Cinderella's wicked stepsisters) that Clare has to live with. Then since we have Cinderella err Clare as main protagonist, we must have a leading man so here comes Jonas (Prince Charming.) However, unlike in the fairy tale, Jonas is just a poor boy neighbor of Leo's family so Jonas ends up as Clare's playmate. They are growing up so they fall in love with each other. So, Marcus and Charity become jealous because they don't want their stepsister to be happy and live in their house and they are so evil they can even make the Prince Charming err Jonas's life miserable.
Fast forward to the present time. Clare is married to Art and they are owners of a pricey restaurant in Manhattan. Jonas is also married with Liv and they are still Leo's neighbor in Scotland. Clare's mother has been dead for sometime and Leo is showing signs of dementia and so he has to prepare for his eventual demise. Who will get his property? I will not tell you because that's where the meat of the story is and I don't want to spoil your fun in case you also try to pick this book from "nowhere."
Come on, try it. Pick a book from nowhere and you will be surprise how liberating it is. You don't have to worry that your rating will slight your friend's feeling, you don't feel pressured to like what critics and experts claim to be the best books and you will not feel intellectually inadequate if you don't.
The best part of this, I guess, is that you give the lesser-known authors to be a part of your life.
May 23, 2011
Ho hum. Maybe two and a half stars. I was drawn to the setting of a Scottish mansion with exotic gardens and the literary legacy of the author, who is Rosamunde Pilcher's son. I kept reading because the plot had me somewhat interested, but I was only half-heartedly engaged. The depth of character was so flat as to be thinner than cardboard. I never felt any real connection with the protagonist Claire, who had suffered a bad breakup with her teenage best friend/sort-of boyfriend. She left Scotland, ended up in New York, met and married a wonderful man, with whom she had a successful business and a darling daughter. Yet the bad break-up of the past and the jealous rivalries of step siblings encroach upon her idyllic happiness. Yawn. Yes, I admit I was curious about what had precipitated the break-up shocker, which kept me reading. When it was ultimately revealed, I found it to be icky and implausible. The jealous step-brother and sister had no redeeming qualities, and their nastiness seemed all the more unrealistic because their father was depicted as kind, loving, generous, funny, warm-hearted, etc., etc. So, how did they turn out so unremittingly bad? In the end my curiosity had more to do with what was going to happen with the real estate dealings centered on the Scottish mansion than what was happening in the characters' lives. Not recommended.
May 2, 2011
Funny. I'm rating this just two stars but found myself up to 1:30 am finishing it. So two stars, why? While I was dying to know why Jonas and Claire broke off their friendship and wondering what Jonas was up to at the end... it seems to me the whole book was missing something. Maybe it was missing likable characters? I can't put my finger on it just yet. Story of a London girl (Claire) whose mother marries a Scottish man and moves them away from their Sussex home, at the age of 11 or so. She hits it off instantly with the son of the tenant farmer (Jonas). The out of the blue at age 17ish, Jonas breaks off Claire and his friendship without explanation. Fast forward to their mid-thirties. Both married with kids, and Claire's mother dies and then 2 years later the Scottish man's health declines. Claire finally "catches" up with Jonas after 16 or so years. And is he friend or foe?
April 5, 2017
What a nice story, The Long Way Home by Robin Pilcher. I picked this book up at our annual library sale last year with the goal of reading authors that are new to me. It wasn't until I finished this book that I realized that the author is the son of Rosamunde Pilcher, an author that I read many years ago. I can't compare their styles because it has really been many years ago that I read his mother's works.
This was a cute story, a timeline that switched between 1980 and 2006. I enjoyed getting to know the main character Claire and her stepfather Leo, who was just a hoot. There was an evil stepbrother and stepsister and a neighbor who was adorable and just a wee bit out of reach for many years. And the ending....? Think Scott Joplin music!!!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
This was a cute story, a timeline that switched between 1980 and 2006. I enjoyed getting to know the main character Claire and her stepfather Leo, who was just a hoot. There was an evil stepbrother and stepsister and a neighbor who was adorable and just a wee bit out of reach for many years. And the ending....? Think Scott Joplin music!!!
Go Cards! L1C4!!
January 3, 2015
I enjoy the Aga-saga genre, even when it takes until p166 for said Aga to appear (is there some union rule about the Aga mention? like, it must be done casually enough to convince the reader that it's not product placement? or, if you don't mention one you can't consider yourself a chick lit writer?) Anyway, the Aga made its cameo and all was well.
The plot, such as it is, revolves around Claire today and Claire's past, when she and her mother moved to Scotland to live with Leo (Mom's second husband and Claire's now-beloved stepfather); her relationship with her stepsiblings and with the boy-next-door are examined because Something Happened that broke up Jonas and Claire, Something that has Repercussions.
Of course all is resolved in the end and while Jonas will remain married to Liv and Claire will remain married to Art, each has made peace with each other and with their past. And isn't that all we want from one of these books?
ARC provided by publisher.
The plot, such as it is, revolves around Claire today and Claire's past, when she and her mother moved to Scotland to live with Leo (Mom's second husband and Claire's now-beloved stepfather); her relationship with her stepsiblings and with the boy-next-door are examined because Something Happened that broke up Jonas and Claire, Something that has Repercussions.
Of course all is resolved in the end and while Jonas will remain married to Liv and Claire will remain married to Art, each has made peace with each other and with their past. And isn't that all we want from one of these books?
ARC provided by publisher.
September 20, 2010
A loosely plotted novel, which falls far short of any real impact or depth.
April 27, 2011
A good holiday read for me, I enjoyed the characters. Some good twists at the end.
February 15, 2012
The author kept you wondering who is the good guy and who is the bad guy right up to the end... and I'm not telling.
May 28, 2018
A really good book!!!
August 14, 2021
One of my all time favorite authors is Rosamund Pilcher. I'm delighted to find that her son, Robin, is also a great story teller. I enjoyed this book, very much!
November 9, 2023
I read this book out of curiosity, just to see if it compares to Rosamund Pilcher's books. From what I can see there are quite a few similarities, the same romantic setting, similar ideas and a pleasant mood, but the problem seems to me to be in the execution.
November 17, 2011
Claire Barrington and her husband Art operate a restaurant in NY. Claire had spent her pre-teen and teenage years living in Scotland with her mother and stepfather Leo. During a trip back to Scotland at the time of her mother's death, Art proposes to Leo that he and Claire buy the property and develop a conference center. Leo is thrilled. A couple years later, after receiving word of Leo's declining health, the family makes a trip to Scotland only to find out that it seems the neighbor Jonas, who had been close friends with Claire as teenagers, now has his own plans for development and has seemingly swayed Leo to support him. The first half of the book alternates between present and childhood setting the stage of all the various relationships, including Leo's two children Marcus and Charity who are constantly at odds with Claire. The second half stays in the present with the time in Scotland and the determination of who receives the property.
Enjoyed this as much as "An Ocean Apart", the other book of his that I've read. The questions I had reading this get answered satisfactorily and pulled together well.
Enjoyed this as much as "An Ocean Apart", the other book of his that I've read. The questions I had reading this get answered satisfactorily and pulled together well.
Read
July 8, 2010Robin Pilcher’s newest book is set in New York City and rural Scotland. After running away from Scotland after she completed school, Claire Barclay returns after her step-father, Leo, suffers a stroke and cannot stay at home alone. Returning to Scotland brings back many wonderful memories for Claire of a childhood spent in a rambling old house with her mother and beloved step-father. Unfortunately there are lingering issues that Claire must attend to that include jealous step-siblings and trust issues with her childhood friend Jonas. Jonas has become Leo’s confidant and Claire is unsure about the nature of some business dealings between Leo and Jonas.
Robin Pilcher is the son of one of my favorite authors, Rosamunde Pilcher. Like his mother, Robin Pilcher creates realistic characters and a strong sense of place. It was fun to vicariously escape to Scotland for a few days while reading this book! ~Enjoy~ --Kara
From ICPL Staff Picks Blog
Robin Pilcher is the son of one of my favorite authors, Rosamunde Pilcher. Like his mother, Robin Pilcher creates realistic characters and a strong sense of place. It was fun to vicariously escape to Scotland for a few days while reading this book! ~Enjoy~ --Kara
From ICPL Staff Picks Blog
February 11, 2016
Robin Pilcher's books may not live up completely to his mother's novels, but I find his stories to be a close-enough substitution since I've already read all of her's. Both of the Pilchers write books that are just plain nice and are a great antidote after overdosing on too many grisly murders. There's a peaceful aspect, even when the characters may be living through life-changing events that are extremely stressful.
In this one, our main character has never understood what happened at the end of her first relationship. Both parties have carried on with their lives and found loving spouses, but the pain still exists for both. But when they meet again it is for another reason; her stepfather needs their help.
No, it's not a romance, but Pilcher's books are never short on love of all types; they are the comfort food of the book world. So, when the weather turns bad outside, curl up with this one. The afternoon will zoom by.
In this one, our main character has never understood what happened at the end of her first relationship. Both parties have carried on with their lives and found loving spouses, but the pain still exists for both. But when they meet again it is for another reason; her stepfather needs their help.
No, it's not a romance, but Pilcher's books are never short on love of all types; they are the comfort food of the book world. So, when the weather turns bad outside, curl up with this one. The afternoon will zoom by.
September 16, 2017
This book was slightly disappointing. I love Rosamunde Pilcher's novels, but didn't find this one, written by her son, lived up to it's hype.
It is said to be written "in the tradition of his mother" but something is missing. It has all the Britishness that I find so appealing, the house in Scotland, the manners and mannerisms, and the language, but it fell flat. There was no edge, no sparkle, no special something to make it memorable.
It's not that I didn't like it at all, in fact I might read another of his novels sometime when I'm looking for something light and easy to read. It just doesn't have the substance that I like to find in novels and that I usually did find in Rosamunde's.
It is said to be written "in the tradition of his mother" but something is missing. It has all the Britishness that I find so appealing, the house in Scotland, the manners and mannerisms, and the language, but it fell flat. There was no edge, no sparkle, no special something to make it memorable.
It's not that I didn't like it at all, in fact I might read another of his novels sometime when I'm looking for something light and easy to read. It just doesn't have the substance that I like to find in novels and that I usually did find in Rosamunde's.
July 8, 2018
This other knows how to write interesting filled out characters. I really appreciate that he takes the time with the women in his works as well as the men. This is a very poignant work for me about misunderstandings and lost opportunities. There is some good villains to really dislike too! Sometimes people also have to make the best of what life ends up handing them. The main characters stepfather was a wonderful person that I grew to like very much throughout the book.
March 7, 2012
Good characters, though some as nasty as they come, interesting story and realistic setting whiled away the hours during my long commute. I wasn't planning to specifically listen to this but my other audio wasn't in yet and I needed something so pulled it off the library shelf. Its cool to be surprised by the unexpected.
November 20, 2017
I wasn’t so sure about the format of this book at first, but by the end I really liked it. The story line reminded me a lot of Rosamund Pilcher‘s the Shell seekers, which is one of my favorite books. This was a well told story and the characters felt like I knew them at the end. I listened to the audio version on CD and thoroughly enjoyed the reader as well.
January 21, 2016
These books that go from present to past years make you have to flip back a chapter to see how many years forward or back they are going. Rosamund Pilcher was one of my favorite authors and he has learned from his mother!
November 22, 2011
OK story. Fun, quick read. Read it while I was sick for a light and easy read. Likely won't be recommending this one. Didn't think the story was that great nor the characters too believable. Reminded me of a cheap soap opera.
May 9, 2018
I enjoyed this story and what really makes a family and caring for that family. It also shows how vital friendship is and how honesty is always the best policy in dealing with the good and the bad things that happen, dishonesty can lead to years of misery.
April 13, 2019
A good story that has a little bit of "oops, I guessed that ending wrong!" Robin Pilcher is a good author if you like stories that could be real and are not bodice-ripping dumb stories. A quick read.
May 5, 2019
Found on library shelf - an unexpected delight. Had no idea he was Rosamund Pilcher's son! Will seek out more work of this mother/son duo, especially since my hubby and I are visiting Scotland for the first time soon. :)
February 9, 2018
Surprises up to the very end.
July 18, 2018
Great story.
August 11, 2018
This was an audio book I took out from OverDrive. The story and the narrator were very good. I enjoyed this book.
April 14, 2019
Clean, clever read, with very little profanity!
January 23, 2025
I was hoping that I would like this book more than I did. I am a huge fan of his mother Rosamunde Pilcher, 2 of my most favorite books are The Shell Seekers and Coming Home! I did like the story, but was a bit disappointed with the telling. It seemed like he really stretched out the ending & reveal of the big "secret" way longer than necessary. I had pretty much figured it out mostly, but not all of the details. The characters were well developed and relatable and he did an especially good job of the two "evil" siblings, Charity & Marcus. The storyline just did not flow well and as I said, took too long to get to the payoff at the end. Not sure if I'll try another title by this author. . .I may give him another chance, but not right away!
June 13, 2026
Det här är andra boken av Robin som jag läser (första var Stjärnfall). Det som är utmärkande är författarens förmåga att gestalta personer. De blir så verkliga att jag vet hur de kommer agera i olika tillfällen. Det är lätt att lära känna karaktärerna och tycka om dem.
I många böcker önskar jag som läsare att driva på runt nästa "krök" i berättelsen för att jag i princip vet vad som ska hända, men den här berättelsen har ett ganska lugnt tempo men ändå med viktiga händelser som bryts i korta kapitel.
I början var det svårt att hålla koll på var jag befann mig, i både tid och rum, men sedan blev det helt naturligt.
Boken handlar mest om Claire, Leo och Jonas. Leo är Claires styvpappa och Jonas hennes tonårsförälskelse. Berättelsen följer inte gamla vanliga spår utan är uppfriskande nyskapande och när jag tillslut stänger den är det både med inspiration och vemod i hjärtat. För boken är inspirerande och hoppfull men det känns också vemodigt att lämna de karaktärer som jag nu känner, och gillar, så mycket.
I många böcker önskar jag som läsare att driva på runt nästa "krök" i berättelsen för att jag i princip vet vad som ska hända, men den här berättelsen har ett ganska lugnt tempo men ändå med viktiga händelser som bryts i korta kapitel.
I början var det svårt att hålla koll på var jag befann mig, i både tid och rum, men sedan blev det helt naturligt.
Boken handlar mest om Claire, Leo och Jonas. Leo är Claires styvpappa och Jonas hennes tonårsförälskelse. Berättelsen följer inte gamla vanliga spår utan är uppfriskande nyskapande och när jag tillslut stänger den är det både med inspiration och vemod i hjärtat. För boken är inspirerande och hoppfull men det känns också vemodigt att lämna de karaktärer som jag nu känner, och gillar, så mycket.
August 10, 2023
I've read a few of Robin's other books and enjoyed them so was looking forward to reading this one. I loved his mother's books too. But this was a yawn fest. I felt it had a weak storyline to begin with, the story took too long to get to the reason Jonas stopped talking to Claire, and dragged on. The reason seemed implausible, and why were the step siblings so nasty? That was never explained. Some of the characters like Claire and Art, were one dimensional and I wasn't engaged in their story at all. Claire and her husband had very little to do with their child, and basically left her to be raised by the nanny while they worked 24/7 at their restaurant. What was also implausible was the fact that after all the time Claire and Jonas spent together, there wasn't one moment of physical romantic contact or conversation. I find that hard to believe. I would not recommend this book, the Scottish landscape wasn't described as appealing either.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 183 reviews