Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Then Gran's will is read and everything changes.
It seems simple: a road trip across Scotland, a country Gran loved, to locate the family castle; meet some long lost cousins; oh, and work out what she wants to do with the rest of her life before returning home. Not a problem.
That is unless the family castle is a ruin that has pretty much been lost in time; the family Elle has never met seem to be hiding a mysterious secret; her over-achieving parents are breathing down her neck, and she's running out of time to make a decision about her future.
Take Me Home is a glorious lesson in life, love and finding your true destiny.
Karly Lane has long been one of my favourite authors with her romance novels set in rural Australia.
With Take Me Home, inspired by her own ancestry, Karly Lane has written her first contemporary novel which moves from Australia to the Scottish Highlands.
Elle’s much loved grandmother dies with the bucket-list they had compiled together, unfulfilled. Homebody Elle was comfortable in the small rural town she had grown up in and her job in the local supermarket, even if her lack of ambition was a bone of contention with her mother. However after the reading of her grandmother’s will that requests Elle take the trip to Scotland and visit the castle that Iona had loved as a child and scatter her ashes there Elle gets to live the dream her and her gran had never quite got around to doing.
Take Me Home was such a fun read. Elle was very easy to connect with and I adored Elle and her gran’s relationship. Even though we read about it after Iona’s death we can clearly see how close they were. I just loved Iona’s determination and spark, she had a great sense of humour.
I enjoyed the armchair travel through Scotland to all the tourist spot and the little snippets of history about the places. I also loved the Outlander tie in.
Karly Lane has added a cheeky paranormal element in the story and a tiny touch of magical realism or maybe that was just Elle’s imagination. You decide.
Take Me Home is a story of self discovery as Elle meets her Scottish family, including her arty cousin, she feels right at home. She can now see where not only her looks come from but also her artistic talent.
A Scottish castle, a legend, a prophecy, family secrets and a fledgling romance made Take Me Home a story I did not want to end.
Karly Lane has proven herself time and time again in the rural romance genre and now she has smashed the contemporary fiction genre with Take Me Home.
5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
About the author
Karly Lane lives on the mid north coast of New South Wales. Proud mum to four children and wife of one very patient mechanic, she is lucky enough to spend her day doing the two things she loves most - being a mum and writing stories set in beautiful rural Australia. Take Me Home is her first book set beyond the rural Australian landscape.
This review first appeared on the Beauty & Lace website
Australian Women Writers Challenge #AWW2021
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