Book Review: The Long Road Home by Fiona McCallum

The Long Road Home

by

Fiona McCallum

Publisher: Harper Collins Australia 
Imprint: HQ Fiction
Publication date: 23rd March 2020
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 412
RRP: $32.99 AUD
Format read: Trade paperback
Source: Courtesy of the publisher

 Alice Hamilton is enjoying her new life in Ballarat with the freedom to explore her future now she's stepped away from the constraints of her upbringing. She's learnt the hard way that knowledge is power, and is looking forward to her legal studies, then making a difference as a lawyer with heart.

But whilst Alice's life is looking up, back in Hope Springs the world of her former husband Rick Peterson is unravelling. After a chance meeting a few months earlier, Rick and Alice have reconnected. And it's fortunate they have, because Rick is about to need Alice's friendship like he's never needed it before.

Rick has always felt a bit lost - as a farmer, he could never admit he didn't feel the deep connection to the land that the only son and third generation farmer should. And now he's suddenly being forced to come to terms with just why his heart isn't in it and what's behind his fractured relationships. Has his whole life been a lie - and if so, where did that lie begin?

The Long Road Home follows on from A Life of Her Own and whereas this story stands alone you will want to read the previous story about Alice’s struggle to achieve a life away from her emotionally abusive family.

I know in the first book I found it hard to connect with Alice as a lot of the story was centred around her negative thoughts.

“At the end of the day, Alice, we’re responsible for our own happiness and wellbeing. Once you realise that, life becomes a lot easier to manage.”

Now Alice has moved away from her family and started to do more of what pleases her she has become more aware of how negative she was and has striven to turn this around. I applaud Alice for this as it must have been hard. But you can see the difference it made when she smiled more, laughed more.

This story is not only about Alice’s road to self discovery. When her ex-husband Rick needs a shoulder to lean on after a death in the family Alice is there for him. Rick’s story is heart-felt. As explosive secrets are uncovered he finds he has no-one to turn to in his hometown of Hope Springs and is heartily welcomed into Alice’s new circle of friends in Ballarat.

I loved the mystery surrounding Rick and how Alice and Rick slowly uncovered the details. It was shock after shock and I was eagerly invested in finding out the final outcome.

The Long Road Home is an emotional story of self discovery, long held secrets and finding your true calling from one of Australia’s much loved novelists.

My rating  4/5   ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fiona McCallum was raised on a cereal and wool farm near Cleve on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula and remained in the area until her mid-twenties, during which time she married and separated. She then moved to Melbourne and on to Sydney a few years later.

An avid reader and writer, Fiona returned to full-time study as a mature-age student and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in professional writing and editing and a second major in history in 2000. She then began a consultancy providing writing and editing services to the corporate sector. While studying, and then working, Fiona found herself drawn to writing fiction where her keen observation of people and their everyday lives could be combined with her love of storytelling.
Now a full-time novelist, Fiona writes heart-warming stories that draw on her rich and contrasting life experiences, love of animals and fascination with human nature. Her first novel, Paycheque, was published in 2011 and became a bestseller. In the nine years since, Fiona has written another ten bestselling novels: Nowhere Else, Wattle Creek, Saving Grace, Time Will Tell, Meant To Be, Leap of Faith, Standing Strong, Finding Hannah, Making Peace and A Life of Her Own. The Long Road Home is Fiona's twelfth novel.
Fiona currently resides in suburban Adelaide.

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This review is part of the Book Lover Book Review Aussie Author Challenge  and the Australian Women Writers challenge