The Thing About Home + Giveaway

Home is not a place—it’s a feeling. Casey Black needs an escape. When her picture-perfect vow renewal ceremony ends in her being left at the altar, the former model turned social media influencer has new fame—the kind she never wanted. An embarrassing viral video has cost her millions of followers, and her seven-year marriage is over. With her personal and business lives in shambles, Casey runs from New York City to South Carolina’s Lowcountry hoping to find long-lost family. Family who can give her more answers about her past than her controlling mom-slash-manager has ever been willing to share.

What Casey doesn’t expect is a postcard-worthy property on a three-hundred-acre farm, history, culture, and a love of sweet tea. She spends her days caring for the land and her nights cooking much needed Southern comfort foods. She also meets Nigel, the handsome farm manager whose friendship has become everything she’s never had. And then there are the secrets her mother can no longer hide.

Through the pages of her great-grandmother’s journals, Casey discovers her roots run deeper than the Lowcountry soil. She learns that she has people. A home. A legacy to uphold. And a great new love story—if only she is brave enough to leave her old life behind.

My Review:

Gobsmacked. That’s me. And a bit addlepated and unsure of how to convey the emotional connection I made with this story. Riveting. An unexpected dual timeline (courtesy of Casey’s great-grandmother) made for an even richer read and really highlighted the powerful legacy that comes through family. And, oh my, but did Casey need that!

Truth: I really didn’t like Casey on first meet. Social Media Influencer making pouty faces at the camera over every little twist and turn in her life? Uh, shudder, no thank you. I expected shallow, self-absorbed and while she isn’t that bad…it’s pretty close. Hmmm, I thought, how am I going to relate to this heroine and care about her story? Why because of Rhonda McKnight’s astounding storytelling, that’s how! Because she lets us see into Casey’s vulnerabilities and challenges right away. I may not have liked her life style/values, but I could totally see how she got there. I mean, there really wasn’t any other option, given her micro-managing mother! Gah, but I wanted to purse whomp that woman a time or two (or three or…)

Basically, Casey’s online and personal lives implode and she’s on the run. Straight down to South Carolina’s Low Country with some vague hope of finding her father’s people. (One of my purse whomping urges comes courtesy of Casey’s mother keeping her completely away from her deceased father’s familyI) What follows is the kind of story that burrows into your heart and takes up residence. The kind that will stay with you forever.

Great-Grandmother Odessa’s scenes from the late 1800s give even more depth to Casey’s story. I’m going to call ‘The Thing About Home’ a coming of age story even though Casey is thirty-six years old. This is her awakening — when she comes to terms with her past and starts to understand how her future balances on all the lives that came before. A heritage of strong woman; a descendent of enslaved people. Survivors. Prayer warriors. Over-comers. And she’s blessed to be able to learn from Odessa’s journals and her very own 99 years young ‘Granna’ who has so much wisdom to share. I could write a whole review just on Granna!

Here I am, rambling on and I haven’t even touched on Nigel yet! So…Swoon. Thud. And repeat! He’s the kind of hero that curls your toes and melts your heart. He’s funny and flirty and comes with his own interesting back story which made this read all the more enthralling.

Gah — there’s so much more I’d like to say about this novel. So many interesting talking-points would make it a phenomenal book club selection. It definitely holds an honoured place on my Keeper Shelf. The kind of story I know I can get even more out of with a second reading. The ‘Granna-isms” alone are worth further reflection!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

ebook available to anyone, anywhere who has a .com Kindle account

US — paperback or ebook — winner’s choice

Canada — paperback or ebook (via a gift card to Canadian Amazon) or audible (.ca)

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Thing About Home, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 15 , 2023.

36 thoughts on “The Thing About Home + Giveaway”

  1. So you had me at dual timeline! I just love those kinds of stories. So much for telling myself that I don’t need any new authors in my pile…….🤣🤣

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. This was a fascinating story on so many levels. I was glad I met this author. I have this book for my book club to vote on right now. I hope it wins. No need to put my name in the hat. LOVED this story.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. Love the title of the book! I enjoyed your review of the book and definitely want to read The Thing About Home.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. WOW! I know I’ve said that a lot lately, but you have been reading some awesome books and sharing them us. For that I thank you immensely!

    “The Thing About Home” truly seems to have it all. After reading the write up, I knew exactly what your first word would be because it was mine just reading that much. Casey’s story sounds like it will pull all your emotional buttons. I can’t wait for read the dual part too. Love those type stories!

    Thank you so much for the chance to win this fabulous book! Shared and hoping to be the extremely fortunate one selected.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. This book has amazing 5 star reviews and the storyline is one I would enjoy reading.
    Thanks for the chance to win it. I have never read a book by this author and hopefully she will be a favourite of mine.
    cenyatwoathotmaildotcom

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  9. I’m so glad you enjoyed this one as much as I did! Even though I’ve lived in the South for 35 yrs this Oct, I still loved reading about its culture & the evolution of Casey. Plus I had this visual of you purse whomping her mom that made me laugh out loud! I sure would like to see that. 😂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. I don’t doubt that one bit. My encyclopedia is now Google so that wouldn’t work, but you should see the huge purses my DIL buys me for Christmas. They’d be dragging you down to the police station if you purse whomped with 1 of mine! 😲

        Liked by 1 person

  11. I have never heard of this book or author!! Fabulous review, Kav. I am headed over to Goodreads to put it on my TBR, then heading to the library website to see if they have a copy! cilydav at hotmail dot com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  14. This is a new to me author but the reviews are amazing! So intriguing that I went to download a Kindle sample but it didn’t include any of the actual story. Ugghh.. so guess I’ll just have to cross my fingers and hope my name is drawn.lol

    ladepooh at hotmail dot com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  16. Hope I’m not too late! Our internet lines have been down because of storming cleanup cut wires. Love the cover, Journals!, and your review. Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House kathleen[dot]e[dot]belongia[at]gmail[dot]com

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  17. Pingback: Christy Awards Finalists 2024 – Contemporary Romance – Kav's Best Reads

Leave a reply to Askew001 Cancel reply