RELEASES SEPTEMBER 30 2014
FIND IT ON AMAZON: http://bit.ly/HomeAmazon
Anna’s life reads like a check list.
Straight A’s (Check)
Editor of the school paper (Check)
Volunteering time at the local soup kitchen (Check)
Ivy League (So close she can taste it)
Falling in love with a homeless boy (Not on the list)
Dean has a plan too. Survive. After being subjected to his foster father’s violent attacks, Dean made the hard choice to leave. Now he lives on the streets doing everything he can to get by, refusing to let people help him. But when he meets Anna, he realizes not everyone is out to hurt him.
Slowly, Anna and Dean let each other in, blending their two worlds into one. But when a series of events brings Dean’s world into perspective, he pushes Anna away. Not willing to accept the line that divides them, Anna sets out to bring Dean back to her. Her determination and faith in their future puts her on the tracks of danger, and he is the only one who can save her
Home is Where You Are was the type of book that immediately pulls you into an emotional connection with it. I’ve said before that I’m not really a crier, but within the first couple of chapters of this book I already had tears in my eyes. This is a sweet and emotional story about showing courage in the face of adversity and about how love rises above all social barriers.
Dean has been living rough of the streets for years now and has learned to depend on only himself. He trusts no one and carefully guards himself against others, even those who show him kindness.
Anna’s family were torn about by a life changing event and now Anna spends most of her days working to maintain her perfect grades and fulfill her goal in life of getting into the ‘right’ college. However, she is desperately lonely and only the love of her best friend and her desire to achieve keep her going.
When Anna and Dean meet at the soup kitchen where Anna is volunteering, they have an immediate connection. They fight it but their pull towards each other is undeniable and eventually they embark on a journey full of heartbreak, hope and love.
Anna and Dean had the sweetest connection. Their romance was gorgeous, but the thing I loved most about them was their HOPE. They showed amazing strength and resilience in the face of life’s challenges. They definitely had their ups and downs and their moments of doubt but they managed to work things out and together helped to make a better life for Dean.
“There are a few stories where kids have been able to turn their lives around, but the luck shit is once in a blue moon. And my moon has been black for so long its practically dead.”
The supporting characters in this book were wonderful. However, I can’t help wishing we got to explore Deans relationship with fellow street kid, Wanda, a little more. They were both complicated characters but in spite of their issues they were willing to attempt a friendship. Knowing a little more about the dynamics of their friendship would have added a different angle and level of depth to this story.
I absolutely can NOT write this review without giving a little shout out to my favourite character, Marv. What an amazing man. He cared about Dean when it seemed as though no one else in the world did. If only there were more people like Marv around, this world would be a better place.
“You think I don’t lie awake at night, wondering if you got into the Y?” Marv stands, forcing the chair back with his legs. “You don’t think I care if you’re freezing your ass off out there? If you have enough to eat. Terrified that you might not make it through the night.” Tears build in Marv’s eyes. “Because I do. Every damn night.”
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was original and heartfelt, and kept me glued to the pages. I am looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR –
Tessa Marie lives in the same town she grew up in on Long Island, NY with her long
time boyfriend and their fish. Under her real name, Theresa Paolo, she released her
debut novel (NEVER) AGAIN, a NA romance, in Fall 2013 with Berkley (Penguin)
and (ONCE) AGAIN released this summer. She is also the coauthor of the Amazon
bestseller KING SIZED BEDS AND HAPPY TRAILS and BEACH SIDE BEDS AND
SANDY PATHS, a YA contemporary series. She has a hard time accepting the fact
she’s nearing thirty, and uses her characters to relive the best and worst years of her
life. She put her love of writing on hold while she received her Bachelor’s Degree in
Marketing from Dowling College. When she’s not writing, she’s behind a camera,
reading, or can be found on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.
onceuponabookblog.com 