The Backpacking Housewife is about not looking back but moving forward. Refreshingly, the story focuses on Lori and what happens to her after she follows her immediate instincts to flee the situation at home. And with travelling a theme throughout her relationship with Charles, it makes perfect sense to do what she does. Yes, she may have been a ‘planner’ once marriage and children became her life but having sacrificed her own needs throughout those years and now an ’empty nester’, catching Charles and Sally is the perfect motivation to visit those places on the retirement bucket list. Although not her original intent, her travels lead to finding out who she is underneath those titles of wife, mother and business owner. She’s open to the opportunities that come her way from the people she meets. I loved watching her blossom. She’s such an inspiring character!

It’s obvious Janice Horton has experience of these places (apart from the two fictional locations!). Four years of travelling and I’m sure a myriad of different experiences make this story authentic and vibrant. I’ve felt like I’ve been accompanying Lori as she travels around Asia. My favourite time and place? The turtle conservation project although in all honesty I’ve loved them all.

Lori meets some down-to-earth people; Jack made me chuckle and I wanted to be Summer! The romance is exquisite 💙 such a beautiful place to discover more about each other. The man will touch your heart too.

I only realised the twist just before the reveal. Very clever!

The Backpacking Housewife is perfect for any time of year. It’s entertaining and escapism at its best. You’ll vicariously experience a different way of living that might make you yearn and who knows, dust off that passport!

I have enjoyed previous novels by Janice Horton before and having seen pictures of the locations the author is travelling around I was looking forward to reading her new novel The Backpacking Housewife.
The book opens when Lorraine has discovered her Husband is having an affair with her bestfriend. Lorraine decides the best way for her to cope is to get as far away from everything as she can so she embarks on a backpacking adventure around Thailand.
The author has clearly visited some breath-taking places that has given her memories to treasure forever and her beautiful writing style made each of the places Lorraine visits so vivid I felt like I was with her soaking up the sights.
My favourite part of the book was when Lorraine headed to Koh Phi Tao to help on the Turtle conservation. This part of the book was not only an eye opener and very informative but it is also where the storyline really began for me. This novel was completely different from the authors previous novels. At the beginning of the book when we were introduced to Lorraine and we find out the devastating situation she was in I was instantly drawn to her story but the storyline then slipped and felt more like a travelogue than a fictional storyline but as she arrives at the turtle conservation the storyline picked up again.
I love how I learned so many things throughout this book especially to my husbands surprise when I told him about the f**k me Geko!
Lorraine was such a strong and courageous character who threw everything aside to go on the best adventure of her life. The romance that blossoms in the book was honest and beautiful to see develop. I really hope that we do see a sequel to this book as I think there is so much more to come for Lorraine.
If you are unable to jet off this year to sun, sea and sights then pick up this book as this will whisk you away to the most exotic location you can imagine.

I would have liked to know a bit more about her home life, kids, mum etc, so I could see how much Lori had changed. I loved the traveling, loved the scenery, the people she met, the places she went and especially her time with the turtles. It made me feel part of her trip, as if I was there with her it was so well written.

A lovely get-away-from-it-all book, travel, romance, you name it and it's here! I enjoyed this story of Lori, a woman who finds her husband cheating on her, and impulsively decides to head off travelling as she comes to terms with what's happened. She makes new friends and discovers that she's more adventurous than she thought, and of course there is a romance or two. Charming.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.

The first thing I did after finishing this was rate it 5 stars on Goodreads. I have a Geography degree and LOVE to travel. I have never been to Thailand but have some friends who have been and who say it’s AMAZING. What would you do if your husband cheated on you with your best friend? Wallow in self pity or get away from it all? The main character in this book, Lorri, feels her life is mundane and like she needs a change, a challenge. She finds herself at Gatwick and books a ticket to the most far-flung place she can……Thailand!

There, the adventures begin. She meets so many people and sees so many places in Asia. I particularly liked Summer, a laid-back yoga teacher from the USA. I felt I was actually there. The book reminded me of a combination of Eat Pray Love, The Beach and Bridget Jones, The Edge of Reason. Lorri is very open and honest and there’s a touch of humour. The story is so realistic and I was hooked! The detail Jane Horton uses is second-to-none and makes thjs book a real winner for me. it’s a perfect summer book.

Thanks to Janice Horton and Harper Impulse for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I’m so excited for my stop on the blog tour for the title on July 9th 2018. This is the first book by Janice Horton I have listened to and I will DEFINITELY be looking for more books by her. The writing is flawless and the pacing is just so relaxing. My favourite book of the summer so far!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from HarperImpulse through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

One word review: Indulgent

Rambling review: What most readers will not know is that I left my job in May this year and began a two year travelling journey. So when HarperImpulse asked if I’d like to be part of the Blog Tour for a book called The Backpacking Housewife, I couldn’t say no!

This is a heady, indulgent, transient read for budding travellers and wanderlusters. I read it over the course of two hours sat on a glittering Montenegrin beach, and I think it would be the perfect book to take on a plane.

I found myself wistfully chuckling at her early extravagance, gasping along with her reactions to the stunning landscapes, and cooing at the thought of baby turtles. It’s easy to absorb yourself into her journey and transport yourself to another corner of the world. The dialogue is a little forced (as the nature of this genre) but rhythmic and romantic.

Reading this novel whilst travelling myself was both a blessing and a curse. I found myself scoffing regularly at how unrealistic her journey was, but I reprimanded myself as this novel is feel-good. It’s there to inspire, to take readers on a journey, to spark wanderlust – not to give a realistic account of your rucksack chafing your neck, of taxi drivers aggressively touting for business, of missing travel connections, of standing in muck. That said, I recognised a lot of elements too – the sudden development of claustrophobia, the fear of your passport being out of side, the realisation that cotton isn’t always the wisest choice…!

Unlike Lorraine, the central character in this novel, my journey has been meticulously planned (I do love a spreadsheet) but I still found myself taking notes on the Thai islands and looking forward to incorporating them into my plan!

P.S. The paperback copy of The Backpacking Housewife is published on the 12th of July but if your flight takes off before then(!), you can download it to your Kindle from today (6th July).

The Backpacking Housewife reads like a memoir and indeed many of the scenarios experienced by the author in her own life are reflected in the novel; it is fiction conjured up in the mind of the author. Lorraine Anderson – Lori – discovers her husband of many years has been having an affair, and the sad part is that travelling the world beckoned as retirement age approached for both of them. It is clearly not to be… Lori, however, is made of determined stuff and she sets off with nothing, other than hand luggage, for Bangkok. And from there finds the courage and grit to travel on her own and explore Thailand and Malaysia.

Now, Bangkok is one of those airports, as she well describes in the novel – and talks about below – that is an overwhelming place after many hours confined in an aircraft. The noise, bedlam and heat are an onslaught on the senses and it can be very difficult to find the courage to move into the eddying and teaming city.

Lori faces her fear and checks into a swish hotel, just for one night whilst she gets her head together and once she finds her feet, she starts to embrace the colourful and so very different environment into which she has jettisoned herself.

Her journey is like a rich travelogue with personal experiences at the heart of the narrative. From Bangkok she heads to Chiang Mai and then over to Railay Beach in the company of younger woman Summer. Each day brings new challenges and Lori is not one to shirk adventure. She soon has a diving certificate under her belt, and the reader can enjoy watching her blossom, often in the company of younger people, soaking up the atmosphere and wonderful things this part of the world has to offer. Yes, there is a bit of romance and yes there are more beautiful settings from Koh Lanta on to Koh Ngai, fictional Koh Phi Tao (where she becomes involved in turtle management) and so many more wonderful islands…. Islands to dream about, Could you see yourself setting off on a whim and just seeing which way the wind blows? No? Then the next best thing is to vicariously enjoy a new lease of life through fiction! Enjoy.

This book is not at all what I expected, it’s a travelogue, a semi diary of facts about the country Lori finds herself in. If I’m being absolutely honest, I’m a little disappointed. Maybe I should have been more aware of what I was about to read. I thought it had a strong start with Lori discovering her husband had betrayed her and just jumping in a plane and taking off. We’ve all felt like runn8ng away occasionally right? But then it became all about facts about Thailand, . . .

I received this book free from #netgalley for my review. This is a cute story, but seemed to be a bit dragged out. I loved the travel aspect. The story line was cute. Overall a great summer read.

The Backpacking Housewife was not at all what I imagined it was going to be. It is not your traditional Chick Lit novel, more of a travel guide, nature programme and verbal holiday diary, all mixed into one especially where it is written in the first person. Much of it feels like non-fiction book as it is filled with so many interesting facts about Thailand and touches on meditation, yoga, snorkelling and wildlife.

In the story, we witness Lori trying new experiences after spending so long being the dutiful mum and wife, sometimes reflecting on how she was before the trip. Aside from the scenario which made Lori want to take off in the first place, it’s a very peaceful and idyllic book that will leave you either in a state of calm, or in one of excitement wanting to plan your own trip to Thailand. I did suggest to my husband that we consider it for our next trip but he rightly pointed out that I struggle living out of a suitcase so would no way manage a backpack! I did enjoy experiencing it through a third party though.

Due to be released on 6 July 2018, but this book would also be wonderful to read in the Winter when it’s cold and grey, as it was so easy to picture the tranquil beach settings. An easy to pick-up-and-put-down read.

Thank you to Janice Horton, Harper Impulse and Killer Reads for my advance copy to review on Netgalley.

Lorraine Anderson has been married to Charles for over 20 years. Life since having her now grown-up children has become quite humdrum - far from the hopes and dreams she had when she first married Charles and they both worked in the travel industry. All that changes in an instant when Lorraine returns home unexpectedly early from a night out and catches Charles in an extremely compromising position with her best friend. Not quite knowing what to do next Lorraine goes to the kitchen and, reaching into the kitchen drawer, has to choose between grabbing a kitchen knife and committing a worse crime than Charles, or her passport which lies in the drawer next to the cutlery. It turns out to be the best choice of her life as she ends up at the airport with little more than said passport, her handbag and the clothes on her back.

The book chronicles Lorraine's experiences over the following months - which starts with shortening her name to Lori in an attempt to reinvent herself; her journey begins with a flight to Thailand, one of the places she and Charles had been intending to travel to on their retirement bucket list. Finding herself amongst a wealth of backpacking youngsters many of whom have clocked up more air miles during their gap years than Lori has during her entire married life she rediscovers a long-hidden passion for travel and along with that comes a confidence and spontaneity she never dreamt of having at this point in her life.

The descriptions of the places she travels to are stunning; no photographs or words could ever capture their beauty or atmosphere, but the author manages to find a way of presenting them sufficiently well that you really want to experience them for yourself. Lori's courage is tested during her travels as she learns to scuba dive and earns herself the first qualification she has achieved for many years. This then starts her thinking about all the other possibilities which lie waiting for her to discover if only she pushes herself out of her comfort zone.

The part of this book which didn't quite work for me was how forgiving her mum and 2 sons were as regards how she had upped and left with very little communication for months. Lori's mum is rarely mentioned until later in the book and I don't think many families would have dealt with her change of circumstances with as much understanding. Also, Charles manages to raise funds and arrange divorce papers with surprising ease considering his spouse is not in the UK any more; I can't imagine the process being quite as smooth as is portrayed in the book.

Overall I enjoyed the spiritual and escapist aspect of this book and how it focuses on the wronged party in a break-up rebuilding their life in a very positive if rather dramatic way - whether it could ever be a reality I'm not so sure. But after all, that's what a good novel is all about: making dreams a possibility, and in that respect this book definitely hits the spot.

This review will feature as part of the blog tour for the book in July at www.sandiesbookshelves.blogspot.co.uk

You go girl! And Lori did. After finding her husband has been cheating on her - with her best friend no less- she does what some of us might have fantasized about. She takes off on her own for Thailand. I enjoyed this most for the local color as Lori makes her way around the region and finally lands in Malaysia. There's a romance aspect that factors in late which I didn't really need but it's well done. Horton has written a believable character in Lori, who is a mature woman taking charge of changing her life. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. A bit different from Eat Pray Love but those who enjoyed that (or who like books with traveling) will savor this as well.

The title of this book "The Backpacking Housewife" is so enticing, that is, woman leaves everything behind, job, family and responsibilities to explore the world. In this lovely novel, Lori does just that after she finds her husband in bed with her best friend. Janice Horton brings to life this fantasy many of us have of travels through the islands of South East Asia. This novel reads more like a travel memoir rather than a novel and indeed, at the end of the novel, Janice Horton tells us that she and her husband travel around the world exploring exotic places letting the wind take them where it may. I loved the descriptions the traveling, jumping on this or that boat, meeting people, hanging out on the beach, etc. This novel excels in painting a picture of exotic places and their possibilities for exciting adventures but it falls short on plot. Other than discovering new and exciting places, there werent many unexpected twists and turns. You kind of know where the story is going. In essence the travel and the places is the plot of the story. I read this very quickly even after taking lots of time looking up in Youtube.com many of the places mentioned. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and if you like adventure and travel I know you will also love it too.

The cover drew me to this book I had never heard of the author but now want to read more.It was so well written and the cover really gets you and wants you to read the book and I wasn't let down I didn't want to put the book down. It was that good. . It's an easy read full of adventure, romance, making new friends and finding happiness after an upset and starting over again. Highly recommend with great characters and the story plot is brilliant to.

The Backpacking Housewife is an adventurous and romantic read with a heroine that anyone could befriend! I initially wanted to read it because of the gorgeous cover (the pretty colors really grabbed my attention) and then when I was reading I thought that the insides are as fantastic as the outsides!

If you love chick lit novels, especially ones where travel is a main focus this is the perfect book for you! I can't wait to read more from Horton!

My review has been posted to Goodreads.

Review has also been tweeted as usual.

Thank you! :c)

What a wonderful journey this book was. I felt like I was traveling with Lori on this adventure. I was disappointed when the journey ended!

Reading this story is like having a fantasy come true before your very eyes. Just like when Mary Poppins stepped through the chalk paintings on the pavement with her beloved friend Bert, into the world of their imagination – in reading this lovely book we get to step through the screen of our laptop or tablet, right into paradise.
We are travelling across Thailand with the warm and unselfconsciously wise Lorraine aka Lori. After suffering an appallingly shocking discovery Lori grabs her passport – her most treasured possession. Yet what she thinks at first is all for ill, turns out to be also for her gain. It’s almost as if she has picked up her Aladdin’s lamp, rubbed it and one of her three wishes has transported her to a beautiful part of the world where she can catch her breath and heal. Although Lori is far away from her family and loved ones and all her normal go-to creature comforts, she has an almost ‘Dorothy from the Wizard of OZ’ like spirit and we are willing her heart on with every step that she takes. Hoping that she will indeed find her “no place like...” type of home.
The glorious descriptions of the temples and monks, the festivals, buildings and landscape all seen through Lori’s eyes are so vivid. It is as if the words are springing off the page and painting a wonderful watercolour in front of your eyes. The whole story feels so naturally told and the characters we meet are fully fleshed out. I have never had the urge to travel to this part of the world before – but I do now. We are introduced to natural phenomena and countless cute and quirky creatures throughout the story. The idea that we are all connected and can be a force for good or a force for heartache is poignantly brought to life in the tale, through the relationships that humans have with each other and with the animal kingdom around them.
There is a sense throughout the book that the universe has Lori’s back. She is kind, giving and compassionate and willing to learn. Despite everything that has happened to her heart, Lori manages to truthfully believe that she “still has blessings to count.”
The story was very relevant to me, as just like Lori, two of my children are about to graduate and the next few years represent change – the passing of the old, the embracing of the now and the hopeful seeds of creative change in the future. The author captures the heart wrenching changes that this period can bring and the mixture of pride, joy, excitement and uncertainty that tinge the scenes of these moments in time. The uplifting message that we can trust that everything happens for a reason and we can’t necessarily tell at the time if the change is for our bad or actually our good is really encouraging. The push to us dear readers to open our hearts and have a little faith - not least in ourselves – is a rare and wonderful delight. We have Lori’s permission to go create something magical and to reach out and grab our share of happiness. I am not sure if this will lead to us grabbing a backpack – but I know that I for one am inspired to dare to hope for some new adventures.
Coffee Cup Conversations and Pint size Points:
If you and I dear reader were sitting down together today, having both read the book, here are a few of the points we could mull over together – all with a Pad Thai of course:
Have you ever visited Thailand?
I have never visited this part of the world; however, my husband recently won a 5* trip to Laos with his company. The descriptions of the hidden temples and the monks receiving early morning offerings from the locals was something he experienced. His photos and reminiscences lent a further layer of credibility to the story that the author writes – and helped me to relate to the character and be open to the messages of the book.
Would you like to volunteer for a conservation charity at home or abroad?
This year I have enjoyed volunteering for heritage sites. This is not something that I have ever done before and I have really enjoyed it. I am really drawn to the idea of helping out with a charity abroad. As I speak fluent Spanish and have often thought that I might like to do this when I retire. I had imagined doing something with teaching – but the idea of helping protect the planet really appeals. The book makes this seem such a necessary and almost spiritual experience – truly awesome. I would love to think that I might at least visit one of the sanctuaries one day. I think that I might look up how to support one of them financially.
How can we be a lifelong role model to our young people?
This year of sabbatical I have been following my arrow. I truly believed in taking this step and I have really been amazed by what has developed, now that I made proper time to build an atmosphere of growth. One of the final pushes that helped me to believe in my decision was that I would be better representing my true values to my children this way. I hated to think of them in the the future trapped in a decision and not knowing that they held the power to lead themselves out of it. I hope that being really true to myself has somehow taught them something useful about their own particular value and power of choice.

A very enjoyable and inspiring read. We all dream of just packing up and moving on at some point and this housewife has done just that. I admired all the descriptiveness of the places she went and the storyline was fantastic.

The second I saw the initial announcements for this book I knew I had to read it. I love anything that has a travel angle to it, and this is an author that has been on my radar for a while but that i haven't actually read before.

And my excitement was truly justified, what an exotic story I have just read, of a woman who on discovering her husband is cheating on her with her best friend, goes straight to Gatwick airport and books a flight to the further away place she can find - Thailand.

With nothing more than a backpack and a few items of clothing and products bought at the airport, she sets off on an exciting adventure.

I felt as though I was alongside Lorri on every step of her journey, and the descriptions of the locations in Thailand really transported you placed.

There are many other travellers we are introduced to along the way, and I really did enjoy the direction her trip took her.

Definitely a top summer holiday read, in fact i read it poolside in about 2 hours, not wanting to move even when it started to get chillier, as I had to see what happened. Loved every moment of this book and I am looking forward to reading more from the author in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.