Ellen Flanagan has a sexy, carefree husband who is crazy about her, two beautiful girls she adores, a small business she enjoys and a great place to call home. But when times get tough and money is tight, she makes a decision that snowballs and goes wildly out of control. In order to shock her inventor husband into the reality of their financial situation, she tells him they need to sell their house. What she didn’t expect was for it to go so far. Deep down she really didn’t want to sell the house at all, but is it too late?
HOUSE & HOME by Kathleen McCleary is a beautifully written story about one woman’s obsession with a house she so lovingly made into a home for her family and what that obsession almost cost her. Through many twists and turns Ms. McCleary weaves a story of friendship, love, lust, dreams and the reality of everyday life. Set in picturesque Oregon, she paints vivid pictures in the reader's mind of the cozy town they live in and the beautiful house that causes so many people so much turmoil. And it begs the question: What makes a house a home? Is it the physical house itself or is it the family inside who make the memories that makes it a home? That is the question Ellen must answer.
I enjoyed this book very much and liked the writing style of this first time author. However, there were things about Ellen that did bother me, but not to the point that it took away from the story or made me dislike her. It was simply a feeling of What is she thinking? Especially in the beginning, I felt she cared more for the house and put it before her family. And I felt she didn’t give her husband and their marriage a fair chance. That being said, I enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more from this author. I think HOUSE & HOME would be a great reading choice for a book club.
Kathleen McCleary is featured on EveryWomansVoice.com. It is an amazing website featuring many Voice authors and includes reading guides, information on upcoming books and even chances to win copies and so much more. If you like womens fiction it’s a site worth checking out!
House & Home, by Kathleen McCleary
Published: July 2008
Publisher: Hyperion
Pages 259
Would I recommend this book? Most definitely
Also reviewed on Books on the Brain, Planet Books and Breaking the Spine
HOUSE & HOME by Kathleen McCleary is a beautifully written story about one woman’s obsession with a house she so lovingly made into a home for her family and what that obsession almost cost her. Through many twists and turns Ms. McCleary weaves a story of friendship, love, lust, dreams and the reality of everyday life. Set in picturesque Oregon, she paints vivid pictures in the reader's mind of the cozy town they live in and the beautiful house that causes so many people so much turmoil. And it begs the question: What makes a house a home? Is it the physical house itself or is it the family inside who make the memories that makes it a home? That is the question Ellen must answer.
I enjoyed this book very much and liked the writing style of this first time author. However, there were things about Ellen that did bother me, but not to the point that it took away from the story or made me dislike her. It was simply a feeling of What is she thinking? Especially in the beginning, I felt she cared more for the house and put it before her family. And I felt she didn’t give her husband and their marriage a fair chance. That being said, I enjoyed this book and I look forward to reading more from this author. I think HOUSE & HOME would be a great reading choice for a book club.
Kathleen McCleary is featured on EveryWomansVoice.com. It is an amazing website featuring many Voice authors and includes reading guides, information on upcoming books and even chances to win copies and so much more. If you like womens fiction it’s a site worth checking out!
House & Home, by Kathleen McCleary
Published: July 2008
Publisher: Hyperion
Pages 259
Would I recommend this book? Most definitely
Also reviewed on Books on the Brain, Planet Books and Breaking the Spine
I really want to read this one -- I've heard such good things about it!
ReplyDeleteThis one sounds really good...I'm adding it to my TBR list now!
ReplyDeleteGreat review...I can't wait to read this book!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the terrific review. I now want to read it.
ReplyDeleteGreat review! Thanks for linking mine to it as well. I really liked this book.
ReplyDeleteI hope you all get the chance to read this one. Its a quick read and the story didn't drag at all.
ReplyDeleteI'm back to post a comment again after reading it, and I really agree with your review. Her attachment to the house didn't always make sense to me, but that may be because I'm not very sentimental about houses. And, I think you're right about this author being one to watch.
ReplyDeleteI finally read and reviewed the copy that I won from you. Thank you again; here is the link to my review:
ReplyDeletehttp://beastmomma.squarespace.com/from-shelf-to-hand/2009/9/2/house-and-home.html