Here, Home, Hope

by Kaira Rouda

Kelly Johnson becomes restless in her thirty-ninth year. An appetite for more forces her to take stock of her middling middle-American existence and her neighbors' seemingly perfect lives. Her marriage to a successful attorney has settled into a comfortable routine, and being the mother of two adorable sons has been rewarding. But Kelly's own passions lie wasted. She eyes with envy the lives of her two best friends, Kathryn and Charlotte, both beautiful, successful businesswomen who seem to have it all. Kelly takes charge of her life, devising a midlife makeover plan. From page one, Kelly's witty reflections, self-deprecating humor, and clever tactics in executing that plan--she places Post-it notes all over her house and car--will have readers laughing out loud. The next instant, however, they might rant right along with Kelly as her commitment to a sullen, anorexic teenager left on her doorstep tries her patience or as she deflects the boozy advances of a divorced neighbor. Readers will need to keep the tissue box handy, too, as Kelly repairs the damage she inflicted on a high school friend; realizes how deeply her husband, Patrick, understands and loves her; and ultimately grows into a woman empowered by her own blend of home and career.

"Endearingly honest, consistency upbeat" - Jenna Blum
"A warm, witty and engaging debut that had me laughing out loud." - Amy Hatvany
"This funny, moving novel is a model of inspiration and reinvention for anyone seeking to find what's next in life." - Katrina Kittle
"I loved Kaira Rouda's book. I love its irony and its courage and humor. It's the real thing." Jacquelyn Mitchard

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Ebooks, Womens Fiction, Contemporary, Adult Fiction, Friendship

310 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2011

About the author

Kaira Rouda is a USA TODAY and #1 Amazon and Amazon Charts bestselling author of contemporary fiction exploring beneath the surface of seemingly perfect lives. Her suspense novels include BEST DAY EVER, THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER, ALL THE DIFFERENCE, THE NEXT WIFE, SOMEBODY'S HOME, THE WIDOW, BENEATH THE SURFACE, UNDER THE PALMS, THE SECOND MRS STROM, WHAT THE NANNY SAW and JILL IS NOT HAPPY. Her next novel, WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS, is out February 3, 2026.

She lives in Southern California with her family and is at work on her next novel. Visit her webiste, KairaRouda.com for more. Connect with her on Instagram and Pinterest: @KairaRouda; and on Facebook at Kaira Rouda Books.

If you'd like to host Kaira at your book club, please reach out through her website KairaRouda.com

Sign up to receive a monthly email from Kaira with exclusive sales news, book excerpts, sweepstakes, and giveaways at: kairarouda.com/signup/

Reviews

[Luanne Ollivier · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5
Kaira Rouda is a very successful woman - she is the founder of the Real Living Real Estate brand and the Real You - a road map for success for womenpreneurs. This doesn't even begin to touch on her many, many accomplishments. Here, Home, Hope is the culmination of "her life-long dream to publish a novel."

Kelly Johnson has it all - million dollar home, loving husband, two happy, healthy sons, loving friends and family, but as she's looking at her fortieth birthday, something is missing from her life. She hasn't worked since the boys were born - her husband is a successful law partner- and she gave up her PR job. There are a lot of things she'd like to change. To remind herself she puts up post-its with reminders throughout her home. (The list is pretty good and is printed in it's entirety at the end of the book)

Rouda tackles a subject many women can identify with. What happens when the kids don't need you as much? When is it time to want more for yourself? Using her own entrepreneurial background Rouda empowers Kelly as she starts her own home staging business, reconnects with friends and helps solve the seemingly myriad problems in her friends' lives. Spoilers ahead.

Unfortunately I found it really hard to connect with Kelly and crew. Her 'emergency blonding appointment' runs $295.00, she is worried about the six pounds she gains every summer when her two boys go away to camp in Maine for the summer. (It really shows on her 5'5' frame...)

"Did we all simply have too much time on our hands, we Grandville stay-at-home moms? What about the other six million women who stay at home full time? Did all of us use our time to judge one anther and feel fortunate, superior even, that we were the chosen ones, able to quit our jobs and be there for our kids? I wondered what the 74 million moms who work outside the home would think about these petty salvos."

When Kathryn, one of her closest friends, asks Kelly to have her anorexic daughter Melanie stay with Kelly for part of the summer she agrees. Kelly also enlists the help of a former anorexic friend, Beth, who is now a counsellor, to help with Melanie. Beth is the mother of a 6 week old girl. But Melanie, who is under 16, attempts suicide.

Kelly - "The ER doctor had insisted a parent be called, and since they told me Melanie was stable, I decided not to call Kathryn right away. She still hadn't returned my call from the other night, and perhaps we could handle this situation better without her."

Seriously? C'mon....

Kelly herself is a little weight obsessed....

"Afterward as we cuddled, Patrick complimented me on losing weight. I told him that having an anorexic around had prompted me to think about eating healthier through watching portion sizes and writing things down."

"I did a little dance in front of my full-length mirror and thought again about permanently adopting Mel and inviting Beth and her family to come live with us. I need to keep the people on the road to healthy eating around me. This could be way better than Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig. I could save money and spend it on clothes."
When Kelly meets Beth's husband..

..."Beth's husband, Ryan - who seemed nice, dressed metrosexually, and was not necessarily gay, I decided -"

Umm, isn't he the father of the 6 week old baby, and really, does the way someone dresses denote if they're gay?

There's more, but I'll stop. I think the idea Rouda is promoting is great...

"...something in my life had to change. What I also discovered was that I was the only one who could do it. Not having that realization was what held me back for so long. I was ready to rewrite Things to Change rule Number One. My life is up to me to define. I needed to make my own dreams come true."

...but I think the delivery left something to be desired. I just found the careening from one crisis to another unbelievable and quite far fetched in some situations. I found the story to be almost a series of plot ideas on a whiteboard joined conveniently together. I never connected with Kelly and quite frankly found her annoying

[Judy Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed Kaira Rouda’s newest upcoming release, IN THE MIRROR, (coming May 1, 2014), which I received an advanced reading copy -- (highly recommend-5 Stars); thereby, wanted to read her earlier book, which received rave reviews.

HERE, HOME, HOPE did not disappoint – from the front cover image –making you feel like pulling up a chair, and visiting with this group of women, to experiencing the ups and downs, and visions of more to come. An uplifting and witty debut novel which will keep you laughing, with this heroine of reinvention and inspiration.

Totally agree with one of the other reviewers –reminds me of Desperate Housewives, as well with this perfect neighborhood, and the grass is greener – as some may think.

Kelly is rethinking her life as she approaches her forties with a health scare, married to an attorney, and has two sons. She has sacrificed her time and passions for her family and envies her two best friends.

At age 39, she has memory challenges and places post it notes and reminders of things to change (midlife crisis). She learns of secrets her friends have been keeping and decides to start up things to change list.

With the help of Kelly's husband Patrick, her friends Beth, Charlotte and Katherine and Mel (Katherine's daughter) she turns her life around and gives it meaning and purpose.

A beautifully written story of friendship, humor, courage, empowerment of women, and a belief if you want to attain and reach those dreams---you can (regardless of age). Of course, loved Kelly’s new business and the confidence it brought to her, as she reshapes her life.

Some great questions and topics for discussions at the end of the book – ideal for book clubs! If you loved Here, Home, Hope as much as I did, be sure and read In the Mirror- An engaging, inspiring, and satisfying read for women of all ages!

JDCMustReadBooks

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here, Home, Hope has been on my list of books to read since it came out! It was a great read, well-paced and entertaining, and I would highly recommend it to women who are looking for stories of empowerment, or inspiration to become entrepreneurs. I have had my own business for 10 years, and became an entrepreneur in my late 20s, and I could identify with a lot of what Kelly, the main character was going through, although this happened much earlier in my life for me, and before children.

Kelly is nearing 40, with two children and a solid marriage. She lives in an upper middle class suburb in the midwest, and by all appearances, she has the perfect life. When a trip to the dentist leaves her in tears, she realizes that something has to change, and creates her "Things to Change" list or "T2C."

As she deals with massive changes going on around her divorce, drinking, eating disorders and other other challenges that plague her friends and community where she lives, she comes up with the idea to start a home staging business, thanks to a seed of an idea planted by her second-best friend Charlotte. While lives are falling apart around her, Kelly is picking up the pieces, not only empowering herself to make changes in her life, but also empowering her friends to make changes in their lives.

Here, Home, Hope wraps up a little too neatly considering all that takes place in the book, and some of the dialog tends to really just brush the surface and make things seem all too simplistic, for the gravity of the subject matter that is being dealt with, but there are a lot of great lessons to be learned, and I applaud Rouda for pursuing her dream and writing her first novel!

[Elena Aitken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here, Home, Hope
was a lovely story about a woman's journey through finding herself. I think it's a story so many can relate to. Both those women who stay home with their kids,and those that are in the work force.

The story moved along at a good pace, was enjoyable and easy to read.

The reason I'm giving this book four stars is because towards the end, everything wrapped up far too neatly. I kept thinking, 'well isn't that convenient? And how perfect."

I don't think in real life, with all the drama going on in Kelly's life, it would wrap up quite so neatly.

But, all in all, an enjoyable read and I look forward to the next book by Kaira Rouda.

[Liralen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oof. The voice is aiming, I think, for breezy and funny. Witty. It lands solidly in the land of 'ditzy contenders for the Worst Parenting Ever awards.' I don't even know where to start.

Kelly's a stay-at-home mother with two boys. She's a little bored with her life, the worst part of which is that (oh, the horror) she gains a few pounds every summer. Her husband has cautioned her to be careful with money, because the economy is bad, but where for me being careful with money means thinking twice before I buy a €1 cup of coffee, for Kelly that means $275 for a haircut is par for the course, but she should probably think about limiting the number of $300 outfits she buys on a whim. Think about it, but maybe not do it. Her friend Kathryn asks Kelly to take charge of Kathryn's severely anorexic daughter while Kathryn goes away on a 'business trip' (translation: she's been laid off and has decided that going on a mountain retreat is more important than making sure her daughter has any kind of care beyond that provided by her completely fucking incompetent friend).

Melanie, the daughter, shows up. It becomes immediately clear that Kelly doesn't have the slightest clue what to do, or what anorexia is, so she adopts an 'I'll ignore it and it'll go away' attitude. Everything Kelly knows about anorexia is learned from Internet searches, which means that she thinks that 'Anorexia can be caused by family dysfunction and almost always affects females: one out of a hundred, and mostly those from higher socioeconomic backgrounds' (39) and it takes her until halfway through the book to understand this: That was a revelation to me: Anorexia was not a conscious choice (135). (What's wrong with the former, you ask? Family dysfunction can't cause an eating disorder, though it can exacerbate it, and blaming families can be deeply detrimental in terms of treatment. Also, although girls of higher socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to be diagnosed, that says more about access to care, and parity of care, than it does about who is affected.)

Kelly is just completely. fucking. oblivious. Who the fuck says this sort of thing? It was like having an exchange student from the country of Thin. Perhaps I could learn from her and show her some of the customs of the country of Fat (48). Or: ...Patrick complimented me on losing weight. I told him that having an anorexic around had prompted me to think about eating healthier through watching portion sizes and writing things down (191). Or: I did a little dance in front of my full-length mirror and thought again about permanently adopting Mel and inviting Beth and her family to come live with us. I need to keep the people on the road to healthy eating around me. This could be way better than Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig. I could save money and spend it on clothes (248). Or this: Since her breakthrough, which of course was attributable to my amazing friend, Dr. Beth, and the fact she'd had the party at our house and now felt guilty, Melanie had been a different kid. She'd put the scale back in my bathroom to torment me (per Beth's instructions). Beth actually told me to pitch the thing in the trash, but I just couldn't break the chains. (141)

Thing is, I can't even give Kelly the Worst Parenting Ever award. That goes to Kathryn. (The Worst Parenting Ever award pool is made up of parents who think they're gold-star parents, by the way. Straight-up abuse is a whole different thing.) Kathryn, who leaves her ill child for her 'business trip'...and doesn't tell Kelly where she is going, or how long she will be gone, or give her any way of reaching her beyond an irregularly used cell phone. Kelly literally has to ask (when she eventually gets Kathryn on the phone) where she is and when she'll be coming back. Naturally Kelly, who has basically done fuck all to figure out where Kathryn is (Being somewhat dense at times, I hadn't asked for the name of the ranch she was staying at in Montana, in case of an emergency (150)), blames Melanie. "I know you're a good girl, Mel. I want to trust you, but in turn, you need to be truthful with me. No more lies, no more hiding. I needed to know where your mom was. You knew where she was and didn't tell me (134). But...guys...Kelly didn't even ask.

Shit hits the fan, and Melanie attempts suicide. Kelly, pettiest person in history, decides that Kathryn (Melanie's mother, hello) doesn't need to know: The ER doctors had insisted a parent be called, and since they told me Melanie was stable, I decided not to call Kathryn right away. She still hadn't returned my call from the other night, and perhaps we could handle this situation better without her. (160) She's also dead set on Melanie's father not being allowed to see Melanie, because...Kelly doesn't like him. So there. The psych ward doctor and the ER doc made it very clear that Bruce would not be allowed to see Melanie until after Beth and I had a chance to talk to her.
I had stretched the truth just a bit to position Beth as Mel's doctor, the one in charge of her care for anorexia, and played up Bruce's philandering as the reason why his daughter tried to kill herself. It worked. (160)

Y'all. This is a fifteen-year-old girl with a serious case of anorexia and a serious suicide attempt. Kelly is a) deeply unprepared to deal with anything Melanie is dealing with and b) actively working to keep Melanie's parents from her, not because she thinks they're bad parents (they are) but because she thinks she knows best.

But this is the real kicker, guys, the reason that Kathryn rather than Kelly is getting that Worst Parenting Ever award. Eventually somebody calls her. Kelly talks to her on the phone again: "And I'm going to be there for her," says Kathryn. "I can't miss the few remaining counseling sessions I have coming up, for obvious reasons, but I'll be back soon" (201). Wait...what? Kathryn can't come home to her hospitalised daughter because she's figuring out how to come to peace with her midlife crisis? Not to suggest that Kathryn's own mental health is unimportant, but this isn't a case of her being in some kind of intensive programme, or rehab, or dealing with serious depression. This is her having gone off voluntarily to a retreat, without telling anyone how to reach her in case her very seriously ill daughter needed her (or setting up any kind of qualified care for said daughter), and then saying that it's 'obvious' why she can't come back to said very seriously ill daughter.

My. sainted. aunt.

I just can't with this. Don't get me started on the part where Kelly starts a home staging business, spends a few hours deciding what paint colours should be used, doesn't even think about getting her hands dirty, promptly receives a check for $15,000 (from the realtor...who convinces her boyfriend to buy the house...and probably charges the sellers for that $15,000 of staging), and becomes the toast of the town. Never mind that Kelly thinks it's going above and beyond to offer paint swatches: I was proud of the presentation and of the ideas. I'd even provided them with paint swatch colors and paint names, and I'd gone onto Target.com and done screen grabs of inexpensive accessory pieces I wanted them to purchase, and where they should place them (221). In other words, she's very cheerfully charging $100/hour to do pretty much the absolute bare minimum and call herself an expert.

"It's kinda amazing how people trust you, Kelly. I mean, Kathryn just left Mel with you, and Beth accepted your apology and is helping. I put you in charge of transforming my biggest listing. You should feel good about that; that's special." (96)

Yes. It is amazing. And not in a good way.

[Laverne · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be happy or live in the moment; that is the question.

Book Cover: the color was crisp and peaceful, it depicts the perfect neighborhood

One of my favorite quotes in the book can be found on page 113, it reads: “It wasn’t Beth’s fault we stopped talking; it was mine. Our whole group ostracized her. We didn’t understand what she was going through, and it was easier to talk about her than to help her.” This quote is inductive of the folks in Grandville.
This book reminds me of the earlier seasons of Desperate Housewives. The close knit community, the manicured lawns and everybody knows everybody. We hear the cliché all the time about thinking the grass is greener in someone else’s backyard. Well Rouda does an excellent job of showing us that some of that green grass is built on septic tanks.
Kelly Mills Johnson begins to wonder how can she live in the moment & live to be happy. As a woman in her forties I can understand how Kelly got comfortable in her life. Sacrificing her own for her two sons and her attorney husband she now looks back and realizes that she has let go of her own passions; and envies the life of her two best friends.
After receiving the results from her mammogram she decides what she wants to change about her life. At the age of 39, she has memory challenges and places post it notes as simple reminders of things to change. Like Kelly I live with post it’s at work and in my office at home. This will be the first year while her children are away at camp that Kelly will not gain weight but make a career change; her plan is a midlife makeover.
As we journey with Kelly through this humorous read I was at one time an emotional wreck. Laughing, crying and trying not to get worked up over decisions made. While much of the book is a humorous ride Rouda also tackles some serious emotional issues such as addiction, and eating disorders.
Here, Home, Hope will touch those readers with a vision for a makeover, as it will also entertain those who are content with where they are now.

Missy
Readers Paradise
5 Bookmarks.

[Angela Holtz · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'll have to come to my blog to see my review. ;) http://lilacwolfandstuff.blogspot.com on May 4. But in the meantime I will say that it is a great story, wonderful writing and lovely characters.
**update**
Here, Home, Hope a novel by Kaira Rouda...in fact this appears to be her first fiction novel. This is a story about 39 year old Kelly, during a summer where she is feeling the ultimate boredom of being a housewife and the lives of her friends enter turmoil around her. She is so stressed that the story begins with her at the Dentist's office because she bit through her mouth guard.

It is a quirky tale, I love the TCT notes - things to change. :) Kelly writes them down and posts them throughout her house. Everyone she knows starts learning them and recognizing when she achieves one, especially her loving husband Patrick. Even when her friends and neighbors marriages fall apart, she knows she has a good one. Patrick will make you sigh and wish your man was more like that.

I don't want to get into it too much, but while dealing with her own unhappiness, she opens up her heart and home to her friends to help them during that summer even as she is starting her own business. The flow is pretty great until the last section. The wrapping up changes pace and doesn't fit the rest of the story.

That being said, it is a great story and I do highly recommend it. Even the hiccup at the end it was still worth while to read and I want to read it again.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit to being a sucker for cheap e-books. I rather suspect a lot of people are, so when I saw Here, Home, Hope by Kaira Rouda for $2.99, I eagerly downloaded the sample to my Kindle so I could see if it was a novel I’d like. I was pretty sure it was one I’d like, if only because of the supremely gorgeous cover. Sure enough, the sample hooked me and I quite happily parted with my money to get myself the rest of the novel. It took me about 5 days to finish the novel, but it resonated with me a lot despite the fact I’m in an entirely different place to the one Kelly finds herself in.

Here, Home, Hope, starts with Kelly Mills Johnson at the dentist. This is the point in Kelly’s life where she decides something has to give (“Here’s how I knew something about my life had to change.”). Her sons are away at camp for the summer and Kelly’s worried about putting on the regular 6lbs she usually piles on when her boys are away. She’s restless and despite having a fairly easy life, she’s unconsciously grinding her teeth as she sleeps. Her life isn’t bad, far from it, but she wants more from her life, she wants more than just being Patrick’s husband and mother to her two sons. A recent cancer scare – which resonated me more than you will ever know as somebody I know is currently going through something similar – is just the push Kelly needs and she starts a Things to Change (T2C) list. I loved the idea of the T2C list. I’m not that kind of personality; I wish I was, but I’m not, but I love the idea of writing down things to change in your life and sticking the post-it notes everywhere. There’s a lot I’d like to change, but I don’t much see it happening.

Kelly’s life changes dramatically when numerous things happen at once: her best friend Kathryn dumps her anorexic daughter with Melanie, and Kelly finds out that her other best friend Charlotte also has her own secrets, and it makes her realise that she’s quite possibly been neglecting her friends for too darn long. I really really loved the way Kelly took charge of Melanie – ‘adopting’ her as her own teen in fact – and how she was so determined to help Melanie overcome her troubles. Although some of the subplots seemed as though they were straight out of an episode of Desperate Housewives (a bit far-fetched in other words), that didn’t particularly matter to me. I also loved the fact that Kelly pushed herself to try and find a job that would suit her. Whereas a lot of Chick Lit characters coming up to 40 would just think they were far too past it to work again, Kelly strives to find something to fill her abundance of spare time and I loved that.

Kelly is one of the most upbeat characters I’ve come across in a while. Her life doesn’t suck. She isn’t contemplating having an affair, her husband isn’t leaving her, she’s a brilliant parent, and she’s confident in her own abilities (although she does still struggle like most women). I thought she was a breath of fresh air. I loved that she called her car Doug, to make him more relateable to her. I found her husband Patrick to be charming and it was nice to meet the husband of a character who supported his wife 100%. I found most of the characters to be likeable. I did find Kathryn to be a bit neglectful to her daughter, Melanie, though and I had a lot of question marks over Charlotte, but bar that they were all likeable characters. Melanie was my favourite, I loved the moody anorexic teen and I loved the way she wanted to get help, she wanted to get better.

Here, Home, Hope is one of the most uplifting books I’ve read so far in 2011. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and there was enough drama and good things in the novel to keep me hooked from the outset. It’s a well-written novel, and the message inside the novel is one everyone can understand. Whether you’re 21 like me, 39 like Kelly, Here, Home, Hope is a novel for the ages. It’s such a well-written novel that even when my eyes were closing in tiredness, I just wanted one more chapter and I stayed up past midnight finishing it off. There was nothing about the book that I’d change, and it inspired me. It showed me that it doesn’t matter how old you are, if you want to change your life you can do it, you just have to go ahead and make those changes. This novel is well worth purchasing, I was inspired while reading it and a lot of other people will be too. I can’t wait for Kaira’s second novel, I’m sure it’ll be just as good.

[Tina Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here, Home Hope is the debut novel of Kaira Rouda and a thoroughly good read! Kelly Johnson is about turn 40 and finds herself with 2 boys going off to summer camp, weepy and wondering what to do with herself. Her neighbor's wife has left him with the kids and a house without any furniture. Another friend asks her to befriend her anorexic daughter and then takes off for parts unknown after dropping off said daughter at Kelly's.

My thoughts: Here, Home, Hope is a great read. Set in 3 sections, the first part opens with Kelly in the dentists office getting a new retainer (she broke the last one grinding her teeth in her sleep) and breaking down in tears. It covers the background of Kelly, raising kids, stress and her "mini" middle age crises that weren't so "mini" to her. She learns of secrets her friends have been keeping and decides to start up a T2C list, ie - Things to Change which eventually becomes a list of 22 things to change in her life. This list at first was irritating to me (I'm definitely NOT a type A person - I can make a list but once it's done I'm done with it) but by the time the 2nd part "Home" begins I'm skipping over those and really into the story. With the help of Kelly's husband Patrick, her friends Beth, Charlotte and Katherine and Mel (Katherine's daughter) she turns her life around and gives it meaning and purpose.

I loved this book. It was so nice to read a secular book that isn't raunchy, dirty mouthed and yet lifts up women and encourages them to take charge of their lives with positive steps. Thanks Kaira, I am so looking forward to your next book! Can I make a suggestion? How about Book 2 be about Katherine and Mel and how they take the reigns back to their lives?

This book is for adults. Teens won't have any understanding of the crises in Kelly's life and also her friends - but then again they would understand what Mel (the anorexic teen) is feeling and would sympathize with her feelings and situation. There are discussion questions at the end of the book and it is an ideal book for a book club.

[MarytheBookLover · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Opinion:

Here,Home,Hope by Kaira Rouda encourages you to reevaluate you circumstances and find ways to reinvent your life. I identified with the subjects in the book like when your kids are growing and you find that they don’t need you as much as they did. Or from wanting more time for youself. Kelly the main character and a likable charcter in the book shows how she struggles to start her own home business. How she reconnects with friends and tackles their problems. The book was down to earth and funny. It helps women with some strong emotion issues that women face today. Like eating disorders and addictions. This book is a great summer read for women who like chick lit. I recommend it.

[Amy Hatvany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this debut novel and what a gem it was! I laughed out loud, got teared up, and found myself nodding my head at SO many intervals I can't name them all here.

I loved the heronine, Kelly's vulnerable, smart, perceptive take on her life - and on those around her. She is fallible, yet strong. Optimistic, but honest in her struggles. I could relate to her on so many levels and so will any woman who has found herself at a fork in the road. A fun, totally satisfying and meaningful read.

[morninglightmama · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, I guess this is the type of book that some folks think of when they derogatorily use the term "chick lit." I just couldn't get into this shallow depiction of a set of really shallow characters. Each time I thought the plot was going in a direction that would warrant deeper development of characters or more authentic-sounding dialogue, I was disappointed. As a whole, this novel felt like a "literary" version of Desperate Housewives... and I'm not a fan of that show, either.

[Wendy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was one of the worst books I have ever read. Usually, I put my books aside to share with my friends, however, I would never, ever loan this book to anyone. It was that bad. The characters were not likable and the story was absurd.

[Courtney · Rating 1 out of 5]

This sucked so much and deserved to be killed with words, but that would be extending the pain. The lead character is stupid. The plot twists are stupid. The supporting characters are stupid. Then there is a plug for a real-life company woven into the end. Game over.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this advanced copy through chicklitisnotdead.com and I am glad I did. I thought this was one of the best books I have read in a long time. I was kind of sad that it ended!

[Paula Tohline Calhoun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have the privilege of giving those of you who have not read the book, “Here, Home, Hope,” by Kaira Rouda, a sampling of what you will savor should you make the wise decision to read it.

First off, I will make a generalized comment, “I don’t particularly like ‘chick lit.’” There, I’ve said it. As a rule, that has always held true for me, but then I started reading some wonderful, funny, and moving novels by Jennifer Wiener. It was only after I read the first two or so of her books that I noticed from the blurbs on the back that she was considered a “chick lit” author! Then, it clicked. I had always assumed it was a pejorative term. I found out “it ain’t necessarily so!” I branched out a bit and read Kaira Rouda’s “Here, Home, Hope.” Ms. Rouda has very successfully written a book aimed at women – women who think: women who think not only of themselves, but their relationship to the world, and their understanding and relationship with others, friend or foe. Women who have the gumption to stand up for themselves, and be counted among those who are listened to, and among those who are heard. This book is most definitely not a “romance novel,” although there is romance in it, and it is definitely not a “bodice ripper,” although there is evidence that some bodices get ripped (although the details are in the mind of the reader)!

The book is set in a fictional town in the upper Midwest, a town called “Grandville,” probably near Chicago. Written in first person, “Here, Home, Hope” is populated with several women, all of whom have a relationship in one way or another with the main character, Kelly Johnson. The book begins with a very simple sentence, that could serve as a model for all novel writers – state what your story is about, hook your reader, and all without giving anything away. Rouda hooks you, and then takes you with her: “Here’s how I knew something about my life had to change.”

Kelly, approaching the magic age of 40, is suffused with mid-life angst. It is the sort of fear and ambivalence that many women – irrespective of socio-economic class – experience when they realize what they had always imagined were their “prime years” are coming to an end. You married right out of college (or high school), had a career, perhaps became a stay-at-home mom or a so-called “working mother” (as though stay-at-home moms don’t work full-time!). Somehow you reach a time in your life when you think there is more to look back on than ahead to. Kelly’s struggles have made their mark on her by creating a lot of dental problems. She grinds her teeth hard enough and often enough to necessitate the visit to the dentist that is the opening scene. Sitting in the dentist’s chair, Kelly arrives at the pivot-point of her life: If she wants her life to be different, then something has to change. Now, she decides, is the time to start.

Kelly and Patrick, her wonderful attorney-husband, have two sons, who are away for the summer, happily, at camp – a place they love. Perhaps this will be the summer that she can work on herself, pay more attention to and reconnect with her dear husband, and revamp her entire life, all in a few easy steps. She finds out it is not all that easy. She plunges into her self-renewal by, very wisely, making a list of things in her life she wishes to change. She begins jotting down on small sticky-notes the individual aspects and hang-ups of her life, which she posts throughout her home and car, labeled and numbered as T2C (Things to Change). These T2C’s become funny little asides Kelly makes to herself as she forges a path to the life she wants.

The book is divided into three sections, entitled “Here,” and “Home,” and “Hope.” (Bet you weren’t expecting that!) Each section involves these three aspects of Kelly’s life, and the life of her friends. “Here” is about where she is right now. Here is where she discovers that things are not always what they seem; that so-called perfect lives of many of her friends are often anything but, and also where she takes on the awesome task of trying to help an angry and morose teenage girl, the daughter of a dear friend, turn her life around. A task that she is willing to take on, but has absolutely no idea how to accomplish. The girl, Melanie (Mel), has been emotionally neglected by both her parents, and in a desperate attempt to get the attention and control she needs, she enters the long downward spiral of anorexia. Her mother is Kathryn, one of Kelly’s best friends; she asks a huge favor of Kelly – that Kelly take Mel in for a few days, while she goes on a business trip. The trip extended for longer than any of them imagined, but the circumstances of “Here,” lead Kelly on the road to “Home.” The definition of what a home is varies with everyone. Kelly has always seen it as a place of refuge, perhaps a way to keep her from the comparisons she makes of herself to others.

With the help of friends and a supportive family, Kelly begins to discover that home is more than a retreat, but it can be the launching pad for a whole new way of thinking and relating to others. Beth, a former high school friend, whom she had betrayed and pushed out of her life, comes back into Kelly’s life, but in a whole new way. After a sincere and heart-felt apology by Kelly, the two friends renew the close friendship they had formed in grade school. Beth has an education in eating disorders, and she manages to help Melanie, and help Kelly help Melanie.

The well-constructed story is populated with a number of what might be considered stereotypical characters; but all serve the story well without being contrived, and add to the layers of understanding of each other. In addition, the foibles of each help to shed light on the erroneous assumptions that had been made among them. There are the faithful and unfaithful husbands; the self-righteous, know-it-all stay-at-home Mom, who spends her life making herself feel like a better parent by denigrating all those around her; the beauty pageant queen turned real estate business woman, and others. All live in the upper-level economically, but Ms. Rouda uses their varied personalities to bring “home” the point that just as charity begins as home (meaning a charitable spirit is born at home and nurtured there), so does change.

Once the changes begin to make their way into Kelly’s life – some from outside in, most from inside out – she finds her sense of joy in life, her realization that life is now, it is what she does with it, she is responsible to herself to become who she wishes to be – no amount of outside influence or interference can make those changes happen – it requires making and executing a plan, but it leads to “hope.”

Kelly finds her hope, and not by happenstance. The road to change that she traveled was not easy, and it was hers alone to make in order to put aside her dissatisfaction with her own life, and discover for herself the capabilities she had and the possibilities for her life. Kelly turns around, and finds that “hope” is everywhere.

There you have it, another “thumbs up” from me – this one for Kaira Rouda’s “Here,” Home, Hope.” A probing self-examination by a woman most of us would like to know, and with whom many will identify themselves, served up with lots of humor and wit, and a few tears, but in great “chick lit” style, it comes with a wonderful, uplifting ending, filled with hope.

[Barbara Nutting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cheesy chick lit at its best! I read her bio and liked the way she incorporated her experience in Real Estare into her novel. I spent 20 years in the same field and was surprised to see she used St Christopher buried in the yard to expedite a sale, we always used St Joseph planted upside down!

This was her debut novel in 2011 - very different from the three psychological thrillers I just read written by her. This was more a life lesson - Peyton Place meets Ozzie and Harriet! She delves into teenage anorexia along with mid-life upheavals. I didn’t relate to either subject, but enjoyed her writing style and her positive outlook on life in general. She’d be fun to meet.

Minor gripe - the Exquisite Makeover house moved its location over and over, sometimes on the same page! Was it across the street or next door? Was the editor asleep or just off with the neighbors husband?

[Kathy Heare Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A chick-lit of a thirty-nine-year-old mother's journey.

I won a copy of this book during a Goodreads giveaway. I am under no obligation to leave a review or rating and do so voluntarily. So that others may also enjoy this book, I am paying it forward by donating it to my local library.

[Romancing the Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewer: Stephanie
Release Date: May 1st, 2011
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group
Page Count: 310
Source: print ARC from BookSparks PR for review

Blurb: Desperate Housewives meets The Middle Place in this absorbing, witty story about one suburban mother's journey from a midlife crisis to reinvention with the help of her husband, friends, and neighbors.

Kelly Mills Johnson becomes restless in her thirty-ninth year. An appetite for more forces her to take stock of her middling middle-American existence and her neighbors' seemingly perfect lives. Her marriage to a successful attorney has settled into a comfortable routine, and being the mother of two adorable sons has been rewarding. But Kelly's own passions lie wasted. She eyes with envy the lives of her two best friends, Kathryn and Charlotte, both beautiful, successful businesswomen who seem to have it all. Kelly takes charge of her life, devising a midlife makeover plan.

From page one, Kelly's witty reflections, self-deprecating humor, and clever tactics in executing that plan--she places Post-it notes all over her house and car--will have readers laughing out loud. The next instant, however, they might rant right along with Kelly as her commitment to a sullen, anorexic teenager left on her doorstep tries her patience or as she deflects the boozy advances of a divorced neighbor. Readers will need to keep the tissue box handy, too, as Kelly repairs the damage she inflicted on a high school friend; realizes how deeply her husband, Patrick, understands and loves her; and ultimately grows into a woman empowered by her own blend of home and career.

Here, Home, Hope will surely appeal to readers of chick lit and other women's fiction titles who are ready to transition into something new in their own life.

Review: Some people observe objects and places and things. Some people observe people, and some people observe life. Kaira Rouda is one author who knows how to observe life, and it is clearly portrayed through the main character, Kelly Johnson, of her debut contemporary novel.

The perfect time to take in a troubled teenage girl whose parents act like she doesn't exist, even when one of the parents (the mother) is your best friend, is right amid your midlife crisis. I mean, what else could be better?

Kelly Johnson is just beginning to re-evaluate her life as a full-time stay-at-home mom, suddenly realizing she has the potential to be something greater. With the determination to take on a job in real estate, but still be the same loving mother to her two preteen sons, Kelly thinks she has it all figured out. Until Melanie -- fifteen, unsatisfied, and anorexic -- walks into her life.

Kelly's never encountered any situation as big or as serious as this. And as she begins to realize the truth about adult selfishness and the power of the helping hand, Kelly learns more than to take care of a distant teenage girl; she learns to take care of herself.

It was really touching how Kelly managed to really affect Melanie. The character progression was astounding; Melanie starts off snooty and unlikeable, but evolves into a sweet, understanding young lady who knows more than she leads on.

Kelly's voice is fresh, but there is nothing really fascinating about her daily life. Rouda has a style of more telling than showing, so while reading, I was never at the edge of my seat. Things just happen throughout the novel, but I wish Rouda had done a better job of really portraying everything that occurred.

I also feel Kelly's character is supposed to be very funny and likable, but she is the opposite of that. There is plenty of attempted wit and dry humor that, at a psychological level, should make the reader laugh out loud, but it just didn't work for me. For instance, Kelly constantly nags about herself and her life with "self-deprecating comments" (as quoted in the blurb) but at the same time, she calls herself "a great friend" and "really pretty", which just negates everything humble and likable about a character.

The story itself was enjoyable -- fast-moving plot with a plethora of Wisteria Lane characters and a heart-wrenching climax -- but Rouda's style just falls flat for me. More dynamic characters and better usage of imagery and other figurative language expressions could go a long way with Here, Home, Hope. But overall, I'm glad to have gotten the opportunity to read and review it.

Quote: "I ... tend to indulge in shopping sprees that fill my closest with assorted clothes and accessories I don't need. A check of my closet right now would already reveal a few hangtags. I rationalize that if I keep the tags on, I can always take the clothes back."

[Julie Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review first appeared on my blog:

http://www.knittingandsundries.com/20...

FIRST SENTENCE: Here's how I knew something about my life had to change.

Kelly is 39 years old, and for those of us who have been there (or may still be there), her "restless" feeling may be familiar. She's not UNhappy .. she just wants something "more". She left a successful career in PR when she decided to be a stay-at-home mother, and she's been happy with that decision. Her two boys, however, are 12 and 14, and they don't need her constant attention any longer. Her husband Patrick, is warm, loving, and understanding. They live in an upscale neighborhood, have a wonderful home, and life is good. A breast cancer scare before Christmas caused her to stop and take stock of her life, but NOW is the time for her to put something in motion.

She starts with a Things 2 Change list (T2C for short). She adds things to the list as she thinks of them (#10 - keep self-deprecation to self, at night, while wearing both mouthguards). When her beautiful friend Charlotte, a real estate agent, asks her to help her out by "staging" a sale property (making it look more appealing for potential buyers), she agrees, and she does so well at it and feels so good about it that she decides to start her own business.

As she's doing so, she's reconnecting with friends, including Kathryn, another beauty, and a friend from college who shows up crying in her driveway. Kathryn's daughter Melanie is anorexic, and her marriage is in trouble. Together they agree to concentrate first on Melanie, and Kelly agrees to spend time with the teenager.

As Kelly works on her T2C list, starts seeing a counselor to help define her restless feelings, and gets her new business up and running, friends' and neighbors' marriages all around her are floundering and falling apart, and Kelly is unwittingly brought into the drama when she and Patrick find one wife in bed with someone else's husband.


Yay! A women's fiction book where the main character isn't neurotic, unfaithful, or a bad mother! :) Seriously, those are the reasons I don't really read "chick lit". Kelly is a wonderful person, not perfect, but well aware that she has been fortunate in her life. As the novel takes you through her transition into something "more", we see a woman grow into realizing that not everything in other people's lives are as wonderful as they appear (T2C #4 - Don't compare yourself to others). She's a wonderful friend, and tries her best not to judge the actions of those around her (but again, she's not a saint, and she can't help but do so here and there as well as having some times where she should say more but doesn't).

I was totally caught up in seeing where Kelly would go, and in how all of the drama surrounding her would play out. A witty, great warm-weather, feel-good-at-the-end, read, Here, Home, Hope is definitely a story that most of us will be able to relate to.

QUOTES

It was like having an exchange student from the country of Thin. Perhaps I could learn from her and show her some of the customs of the country of Fat.


Did I just take a job? Jeez. All I did was decide my life had to change and now it was, faster than I could've imagined. I'm a believer in tossing thoughts out into the universe; I just didn't know the answer would be tossed back so quickly, via cell phone. I needed a new dress.


"Look, Rachel, it's all very sad, yes, and I don't even know how you found out about it all. But instead of talking about them to me, why don't you do something productive with your - uh - grief. Plant a tree. Pray. Just don't meddle and gossip," I said. I was mad, but I wasn't crying (Wow! #19). "Really, you need a life. Your own."

Writing: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Characters: 4.25 out of 5 stars
Reading Immersion: 4.5 out 5 stars

BOOK RATING: 4.3 out of 5 stars

[CoffeeBook Chick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life as a successful lawyer's wife and mother to two adorable sons, Kelly really should feel like she has it all. At this stage in life, these things should be comforting and being a stay-at-home mother should be all she needs. Right?

Unfortunately, Kelly's just starting the initial stages of a mid-life crisis. A recent scare with her first mammogram test, and a general feeling of being unsettled leaves her feeling as though she's within her life, but feeling as though she is missing...something.

And here I was, worried I wasn't ready for a thoughtful summer read! Here, Home, Hope by Kaira Rouda, to be released May 1st by Greenleaf Book Group, is like being with friends, commiserating over marriages, children, and life in general. I adored this book - it fit perfectly in my own life right now. Haven't we all questioned whether or not we're at where we want to be, where we thought we should be, at this stage? It's not as though you don't love what you have, it's whether or not you feel grounded, as if you're really living your life.

Let's be honest - problems are all relative. While one person appears to have the perfect life, it's not fair to say that they should just be appreciative of what they have and get over it. More often than not, they do realize that they should be grateful for what they have, and this is what compounds their guilt even more.

And this is exactly why I loved all of the characters - they are all real. They are flawed, insecure, confused, and going through one hell of a time right now. Kelly, at the middle of it all, feels that lack of confidence weigh her down even more. Should she start her own business? What could she do after being out of the job market for fifteen years? While she commits to making changes both in her professional and personal life, she begins to put little notes throughout her home as reminders, which are oftentimes both humorous and sad. And although she has friends, they're going through their own issues, too. Along for this personal ride is "borrowed" daughter, Melanie, struggling with tough emotional issues and anorexia, which makes the summer dramatically different than Kelly anticipated.

Here, Home, Hope by Kaira Rouda makes me want to sit at the beach on a summer afternoon and look back at my own choices, make changes when necessary, and appreciating what I have as I ultimately become who I want to be. Kaira Rouda has made her jump into contemporary fiction with a story that is inspirational and heartwarming, one that is going to be loved by many. It is a refreshing reflection on finding beauty in everything that makes you exactly who you are.

If you like Kristina Riggles' The Life You've Imagined or Sarah Pekkanen's Skipping a Beat, then you'll find a reassuring hug from Kaira Rouda's Here, Home, Hope.

[Samantha March · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here, Home, Hope by Kaira Rouda is a five star worthy read! I was in love with this novel, from the first page and the hilarious dentist office scene, to the last page where I felt I was left with life lessons, and all the scenes in between. The story centers around Kelly Mills Johnson, a suburban wife who has become bored as her fortieth birthday nears. Her husband, a successful and supportive attorney, has a thriving career and love for golf, and her two young sons are active and away at camp for the summer. This leaves Kelly drumming her fingers, trying to figure out how to overcome her midlife crisis. Her two best friends appear perfect to an outsider- wealthy husbands, interesting careers, and Kelly decides to try to be more like them. She decides to act on her passion for decorating, but before she can even get started, life intervenes with the appearance of her friend’s anorexic daughter. And an affair that shakes the neighborhood. And a friendship that is on the rocks. Kelly tries to tackle many subjects- her start up business, her family, her friends and their problems, and by doing so, realizes what the important things in life are.

I absolutely adored Here, Home, Hope. What I found interesting is that I completely connected with Kelly, even though I am nothing like her being in my twenties, not married and have no children. But I think that shows the strength of a great writer and character that they create- anyone can relate to them, no matter how far off they are from your real life. And I loved that Kelly’s husband was one of the good guys. I will admit that I was almost waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for him to be having an affair because that is often how the story goes these days, but he was faithful and supportive through it all. The Things to Change List that Kelly makes along the way was also really inspiring. I thought of a few changes that I could make myself, and I think readers will take a lot away from that. But what really got me with this novel is how empowering it was to read as a women. Kaira Rouda says on her website that she has a particular interest in empowering women and children, it showed through her writing. I closed her first novel feeling like I could do anything, and that is special. Here, Home, Hope is only the first in a series that center around Grandville, the fictional town where Kelly Mills Johnson and friends reside, and I know the others will all be must reads for me.

[Laura Kay Bolin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelly Johnson has been a devoted wife and mother living in beautiful Grandville, but as her fortieth birthday approaches she is feeling restless. She is married to a successful attorney and has two fantastic boys, but she wonders to herself…what’s next. She looks at her best friends Charlotte and Kathryn who run their own businesses and can’t help feeling she is less than perfect. After finding herself in a dentist chair from grinding her teeth, Kelly decides something has got to change. From that point on Kelly begins with her T2C (Things to Change) post it note list. Her list grows throughout the story and is all about being the best person she can be.

Not really sure how she was going to spend the summer, besides gaining her usual 6 pounds, Kelly soon finds herself very busy. Charlotte offers her a prospect of a business venture of home staging, which Kelly is hugely successful at. Kathryn tells her how her daughter Melanie is an anorexic and asks her to take her daughter in while she goes out of town. Kelly quickly finds herself starting a business, taking care of an anorexic teenager girl, and dealing with neighborhood and best friend bombshells going off all around her. Relying on her T2C post it notes (hanging all over the house and in her car) she is able to offer her love and support to those around her.

As an almost 40 year old, ALMOST not yet-- I could relate on a number of levels to Kelly Johnson. I loved reading about a women’s journey through the transition into the next stage of her life. I found Kelly to be able bodied, strong, confident, having integrity and a good friend. I loved reading about a strong woman who had the love and support of her husband behind her. What a wonderful change from so many books I’ve read. There was a lot of dialogue about friendship within the novel. Each of these three women went through so much alone. They closed off from their friends so afraid of being judged as less than perfect. I could not help, but feel this is such a relevant topic for today. As women, I think so many of us want to come across as strong and having it all together when we would all be better off being real with one another and leaning on each other for support. Rouda got it right.

I found this to be a fairly quick read, funny and inspiring. Kaira Rouda’s debut novel was an absolute refreshing read. I HIGHLY recommended this book. I am looking forward to Rouda’s next novel.

[Sheree · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick,entertaining read that delves into one woman's search for happiness; her coming-of-age requires honesty, 'work', adjustments and a Things to Change (T2C) list. The emphasis is on the empowerment of women, the importance of nurturing friendships and the need for women to support each others' desires and dreams, whatever they may be.

After a health scare, lingering feelings of dissatisfaction and depression motivate Kelly to re-evaluate her life; something I'm sure we can all relate to. I liked Kelly's character and could identify with many items on her T2C list although I must confess to thinking "lucky for some" that Kelly had the financial means all along to make her business dream come true.

•Remember my blessings
•Don't forget the care and feeding of friends
•Trust your instincts
•Yell without crying

I liked the growth in the connection between Kelly and her best friend's anorexic daughter Melanie, the support Kelly had from her husband Patrick and I really enjoyed the details as Kelly sets up her own business, Kelly Johnson Home Staging. As Kelly's confidence, self-worth and assertiveness grows so does her business and love of life.

Favourite quotes:
This one on entering the dating world after an extended absence

"It's gotta be just like riding a bike," I said, blowing out the candle. Except, I guess, the seat has changed, and the handle bars, and ... Oh, it will be fun.

... something about my life had to change ... I was the only one who could do it. Not having that realization was what held me back for so long. I was ready to rewrite Things to Change rule Number One. My life is up to me to define. I needed to make my own dreams come true."

Whilst I felt that the reader was told rather than shown, I'm sure Ms Rouda's writing style will evolve with subsequent novels. An enjoyable read that certainly echoed the old addage; the grass is not always greener on the other side, the grass is greenest where it is watered :)

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to win an ARC and I couldn't wait until this book came in the mail! I love the writing style in this book and will be on the look out for more from this fantastic author.

I love the concept of a "Things 2 Change" list. In fact, while reading this book, I realized that I have been making changes in my own life to make me a better mother, wife and person. I guess I just need to use post-it notes. ;)

I really enjoyed the friendships and renewal of friendships throughout this book. I love how Kelly made amends with Beth and how Beth forgave her even though feeling abandoned in a time of need/crisis probably wasn't easy to overcome. I love how Beth helped Melanie and Melanie seemed to be getting stronger by being around strong and loving women. I'm sure it helped that Beth went through the same thing so Mel didn't feel quite so alone.

I enjoyed how a new and successful business practically fell on Kelly's lap. I'm glad it became so successful and she enjoyed doing that profession. I was happy to see that Patrick was a supportive and loving husband through all of the ups and downs that Kelly had. He stood by her through thick and thin, unlike Bruce. He was such a "breath of fresh air" since it seems in many books husbands are villianized to a certain extent. I loved seeing a healthy and happy marriage thrive in a story.

Although I have a hard time with infidelity, it seemed like Bruce and Charlotte were good together and Bruce became a better person. Kathryn, who had an affair first, seemed to do a lot of growing and even found an unlikely friendship (still!) with Charlotte.

This was a fantastically written novel and I am on the hunt for more books to read from Kaira Rouda. Thank you again for giving me the chance to read an advanced reader's copy.

[Paula Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Kaira's book "In the Mirror" and really enjoying it , I decided when offered the opportunity to read the other books by Kaira Rouda as I discovered that her books fill me with a joy and remind me of the author Rachel Hauck and Sara Evans. In Here, Home, Hope we meet Kelly who is in her last year before the big 4-0 and has discovered her life is filled with restlessness and she knows she has to do something, anything otherwise she is bound to go stark crazy and do something she regrets. The story starts with her at the dentist and then on her way home . As she's coming home , she sees that her next door neighbour Heidi has up and left her family and her friend Charlotte is selling the house. The scene then cuts to Charlotte and Kelly enjoying some drinks when they are interrupted by Kathryn who comes to Kelly in tears and Charlotte departs. Readers discover that Kathryn's marriage is falling apart and her daughter has an eating disorder. Kelly being the ever-helping friend and since her boys are away at camp offers for Kathryn's daughter Melanie to stay with her and Patrick. So Kelly's new project begins in helping Kathryn's daughter. Though it seems that life in Kelly's neck of the woods isn't all cherry and that her marriage and life compared to others is solid and stable as we learn Charlotte's and Kathryn's lives are about to become very tangled with one another and Kelly will be left on the sidelines trying to decide what is right and wrong , and what her next move shall be. One thing that I really did like in this novel though was despite what was happening around and in Kelly's life and mindset, she still stayed faithful to her husband and they still had a strong marriage.
This book would definitely fall under the category of family saga and women's fiction rather than Chick Lit.

[Laurel-Rain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelly Johnson begins to find herself in the dentist’s chair, and from there, her life changes will form. She uses a lot of Post-it notes, placed strategically everywhere in her home and in her car, which she has named Doug.

Her husband Patrick is her best friend, and he proves to be very supportive as she begins to change her life that summer, while her two sons, David and Sean, are at summer camp.

All around her, life is changing. Her friend Kathryn drops off her anorexic teen daughter Melanie, hoping for the help she herself cannot provide, while she is finding herself in Montana.

Another friend, Charlotte, who is a realtor, persuades Kelly to help stage a home she has on the market…and from that point on, Kelly is swept up into a new business of her own. Staging turns into an exciting venture, even as she is caught up in the chaos of her friends’ marriages.

Here, Home, Hope took off slowly for me, but from the moment that Kelly began planning for her home staging career, I was drawn in and very intrigued.

I enjoyed the characters, each of whom felt real to me, from the self-absorbed Charlotte and her new love Bruce, to the sulky teen Melanie, who started to grow on me after a while. Her mother Kathryn was absent for most of the story, but when she reappeared, she seemed like a “new person.” Even the dog Oreo felt like a real “person.” I could definitely picture the annoying Rachel White, whom I dubbed Queen of Negativity…and the suburban community that featured each of the characters and homes. I liked Kelly’s narrative voice, a self-deprecatory tone that slowly changed to a more optimistic one. A fun read, earning 4 stars from me.

[K.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book got off to a slow start for me. I thought (at first) that it sort of smacked of that "Desperate Housewives" TV program, but that feeling soon dissipated and once the story got rolling, I was hooked. Kaira talks about marriage, divorce, affairs, motherhood, mompreneurship, and depression in this book, among other things. The main character, Kelly Johnson, is closing in on her 40th birthday. Although she is living what some would consider a charmed life, she feels dissatisfied. Sound familiar? What she does is this: she creates a T2C (Things to Change) list, based on her specific concerns. The story then follows Kelly as she actually applies these strategies that she has devised to her life and describes the outcome. I was a little put off by how quick the author turns to antidepressants (and how many times meds are mentioned in relation to other women and depression in the book), but that's really my own issue. On p 53 is this statement: "One out of eight households suffer from domestic violence--our society's code word for abuse and murder when the victim happens to be related to you--"...truer words were never spoken. My other favorite quote from the book is this on page 285: "I knew...that something about my life had to change. What I also had discovered was that I was the only one who could do it." Heads up book clubs: "Questions and topics for discussion" are included at the book's end.

[Beth Peninger · Rating 2 out of 5]

From what I can tell Kaira Rouda is an entrepreneur who decided to give writing novels a shot. One review said that this book, her first fiction one I believe, reads like a second or third draft. I totally agree. While it wasn't horrible, it certainly wasn't polished up enough to be a great final draft. The premise of the book is good but Rouda focuses way too much on the unnecessary details and it drags the book down. Not too mention the actual number of chapters in the book - over 40! Too much. I wasn't even halfway through the book and I was feeling ancy and anxious to get the story wrapped up.
Because of Kaira Rouda's true career, this book also felt like an advertisement for her Real You Incorporated book/website/etc. It felt like she took her life coaching tips and wrote a book around them. It wore on me after a while.
In short, Kelly is an almost 40 year old who is experiencing a mild mid-life crisis. Through the help of friends and her husband she finds purpose in a really short amount of time. That part was also fairly unrealistic, especially in light if today's economic downturn. Kelly focuses A LOT on her weight and it does make the reader wonder if the author struggles with hers as well. It bordered on obnoxious with all the weight talk. Certain aspects of the story were totally unrealistic concerning the weight issues Rouda decided to bring into the storyline.
All in all, I was glad to be done with the book so I could move on to others.

[Stacy Eaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book for women, plain and simple. Any woman who has reached a point in her life and has started asking questions about what they have accomplished and where they are going from here will find real joy from this book.

I was able to identify with Ms. Rouda’s Here, Home, Hope very easily as I have had not one, but two mid-life crisis’s. Reading how she takes the lives of close friends, husbands, children and careers on a round-about merry go round was entertaining and enjoyable.

Her writing style is easy to read and her book flows very nicely. The only thing I found challenging for me was once in a while the conversation felt a bit rushed and I wasn’t completely clear on the time at some points in the story.

I loved her plot line, and her knowledge of the world of real estate and staging shined through in her words. I very much enjoyed her characters and could easily see them interacting with each other throughout the book.

For any woman who has hit the mid-life crisis point in their life, they will be able to identify with what Kelly and her friends are going through. Any woman with a teen will be able to understand the stress of what Melanie was dealing with, and for all of us… we all know a Rachel White that has come into our lives at some point.

Raising my martini glass to Kaira here! Great book! Really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of her work!