Wouldn’t say it’s my kind of book but I enjoyed it nevertheless. A Virginian family dysfunctional in many ways are being pulled apart by the separation of the lives they lead, despite having their best intentions. The appearance of a young girl in their lives, having tragically lost her own family has a dramatic effect on their relationships. Particularly appealed to me after having travelled the Blue Ridge Highway. Well written.

Thanks to Netgalley the author and publishers for a copy of this book

A beautiful story about a family reevaluating their priorities for the sake of not losing what matters most. This story teaches us that what we show the world on the exterior does not always coincide with what happens at home. It seems that Suzanne is the perfect wife and mother. She's serviceable towards her community and home, but truly she is going through the motions of life because of past trauma. She is controlling her environment to feel safe, but she is unexposed emotionally. Suzanne meets a 15 year old orphan named Iris and asks her to join her family. There is resistance on both sides; Iris's laid back approach to her up keeping clashes with the always presentable, somewhat vain, appearance the family normally maintains. It's a journey of becoming and unbecoming. Iris's joining of the family causes reflection on what are the unnecessary things we have given too much power in our lives. The story is well written. I enjoyed seeing the characters evolve and be challenged, and the family drama is relatable. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Excellent story - well-written and engrossing. This is a story that makes the reader stop and think about the things that hold a priority in your life.

True Places is a thought provoking novel. Suzanne is living a privileged life with house, husband. children. It's perfect on the outside. One day, she finds a teen girl, Iris, on the side of the road. Suzanne takes Iris to the hospital then home with her. Iris has been living off the grid her entire life and completely alone for a couple of years. The story focuses less on Iris and more on Suzanne and her realization that her life is not fulfilling. Imagine the American dream through Iris. Too much house, too much stuff, so much waste, money and more money, giant vehicle, and on and on. Iris is pure. She has not been corrupted by money. She has not been told her whole life everyday that she needs to have everything. It's refreshing to have someone question this idiocy. Suzanne begins to understand that she has become something she never intended. She is driven by materialism and the wants of her kids and husband. Her kids are disrespectful and disconnected from real life. Her husband is willfully ignorant. Iris shows Suzanne the truth about her lifestyle. Suzanne knows she must change. Her husband and kids must change. I like this story a lot because it's true. I can identify with so much of this. Most of us probably can. It's a buy everything wasteful bigger is better world. It's an eye opening story. The author does an excellent job. It's so well written and Suzanne is realistic and relatable. I recommend for anyone who suspects the American dream is maybe a nightmare. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Suzanne is a busy mom of two teenagers who tends to say yes to everything. One day she decides to go for a drive instead of facing her endless responsibilities and happens upon Iris coming out of the woods on the verge of collapse. After rushing Iris to the hospital she discovers that she has been living off the grid her entire life and alone without her parents for at least three years. She is malnourished and weak but is educated and clever. As Suzanne incorporates Iris into her family Iris has to get used to technology and the modern comforts we take for granted and Suzanne and her family's lifestyle is now put under a microscope.

I liked the premise of this book but did hope that there would be more focus on Iris adjusting to modern life rather than the lives of Suzanne and her children. I did appreciate that the author was able to change perspectives almost seamlessly without it being confusing or distracting. This book is well written and unique.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is available for purchase now.

Since I finished reading True Places on Thursday, I have been thinking very intently about my feelings and thoughts. I have come to the realization that I didn't hate the book, but I didn't fall in love with it either. At first glance, True Places sounds like it will focus on Iris, the young teenage girl that Suzanne finds malnourished and a bit wild. Sure Iris's story is there, but it is more centered on Suzanne who seems to have lost her way in the rush of trying to maintain a perfect life. Frankly, this did not bother me because Suzanne is a relateable character. Her husband is oblivious to any family problems, her teenage daughter is distant, a son that has trouble connecting with his father and pressures from her parents wanting to control their grown daughter.

Sometimes it takes a stranger to show you what should be obvious, how far you've drifted from who you want to be, from what's right for you, your true place.

Sonja Yoerg creates really fascinating characters, but I have to say that Suzanne's daughter, Brynn, and her parents were just awful. They were on my character hate list( Yes, it exists but I have a love list too. It's all about balance). Conflict is an integral part of the stories we tell, but maybe there was too much negative energy weaving in with the central message of the novel to make me ever feel captivated by the narrative.

Suzanne seems to have the perfect life: husband, daughters, comfort, and success...but not all is as it seems. When she finds a lost, unkempt girl off of the Blue Ridge Parkway and takes her home, everything changes in her life, and not all for the better; at least, not yet. The girl, Iris, has lived in the woods for all of her life, and her integration into modern society is not easy. Yet, she retains an innate honesty and intelligence that will carry her through. A poignant, well written novel, recommended reading.

This novel captures not only the beauty of its setting but the story of characters whose lives are disrupted by a pivotal event that ultimately transforms them in ways they couldn't have imagined. Lyrical writing and characters that are three dimensional had me turning the pages. Sonja Yoerg's best novel yet.

I enjoyed this family drama by Sonja Yoerg. It is the story of a busy suburban mom who finds a teenage girl, Iris, in the road. Iris has been living off the grid her whole life and since her mother died she has been on her own. Suzanne decides to foster her while they try to find her family which doesn't go over well with her own teenage children. As Iris learns about the world, Suzanne also begins to realize her own unhappiness in her life. This book was very well written. The characters and their reactions and emotions are realistic although a little stereotypical. It will make a great book club selection.

I received this book "True Places" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. This was an enjoyable read. First book by this author and I will check out her other books. You feel like you are right there in the woods, in the hospital, etc. Very emotional storyline. You really get to know the characters and you connect with them.

‘She didn’t have to consult her phone to know there were countless other tasks waiting to occupy that time. That was, in fact, what time was: a narrow container for a relentless succession of tasks. The container could not be expanded, but the tasks could multiply exponentially.’

How happy am I that I picked this book up! Absolutely fantastic read from beginning to end. This was phenomenal storytelling that explored a range of contemporary issues faced in this modern world by many of us. As the title suggests, this is about finding your ‘True Place’ in this life, staying true (or having to rediscover) the real you.

‘I’ve spent weeks explaining this world to her: why we buy things, why we need so many choices, why we try to get so much money, why we never sit still, why we throw so much away. I hear myself explain all this—or try to—and I can’t believe how ridiculous I sound. Suzanne swallowed hard. She took a breath and spread her arms out wide. “I can’t believe this is me.’

This is a family drama which highlights this conflict of interest when pitted against the constant stream of materialism and superficial living that soaks into our systems from our modern day living. All it took was the foster care of a young teenager to throw into chaos what the family had thought to be their perfect life. It wasn’t and Sonja Yoerg highlights this tremendously well.

‘Once their kids had started school, it was more like jumping into a fast-flowing river. You didn’t choose. You swam to keep from drowning ... Suzanne was the first to admit she had no parenting philosophy she could articulate. There didn’t seem to be time for top-down thinking; it was a minor miracle to arrive at the close of the day without significant mishap, take a deep breath, down a glass of wine, and get ready to do it all over again the next day.’

There are a number of themes masterfully addressed and presented throughout this novel. Many you will relate to, some you may not but will undoubtedly appreciate: marriage and partner roles, family living, societal pressures, adolescent issues and most importantly how to reclaim and get back on track - if you can - to the essence of who you are as an individual. I found this to be an exceptionally well written book with both setting and character development at an all time high. For example as a mother, I wanted to confront the teenage daughter but then realised that her mother, Suzanne, needed to progress along her own journey to arrive at that destination.

‘Suzanne was as busy as before but nevertheless now found time to enter rabbit holes of self-examination and worry. Perhaps it wasn’t time, per se, but being forced to evaluate her life in order to explain it, justify it to Iris .... For far too long she had been floating along in a sea of compromise, dammed up by walls of fear. If Iris could maintain her integrity in the face of overwhelming odds, so could she.’

The writing is sublime on so many levels. It takes a remarkable author to captivate a reader through language pertaining to a range of ages and situations. I highlighted so many passages that really struck a chord with me and made me ponder. Yoerg ties it all together so beautifully, really capturing the psyche of modern day family living with the behaviour and dynamics as seen through the eyes of each of the characters (still didn’t make me appreciate the painful daughter). Then there are the rich descriptions of the landscape - the fauna and botany that were subtle ingrained throughout as well.

This novel spoke to me in a number of ways and I raced through it in no time. Sonja Yoerg shines a wonderful spotlight through engaging prose on issues that speak to many of us. For haven’t we all, at some stage, been metaphorically lost and searched for our ‘true place’? I highly recommend this book as it will draw you and not let you go until the very last page.

‘You ought to be thanking her for showing us who we truly are .... Sometimes it takes a stranger to show you what should be obvious, how far you’ve drifted from who you want to be, from what’s right for you, your true place.’



This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

I loved the premise of the upper class woman finding this girl along the road and knew that somehow both woman and girls would be impacted greatly. What I didn't realize is just how much. Suzanne, the main protagonist realizes just how far astray she's gone from who she really is and what she really wants. Many women that work, have kids, married or not, that are taking care of everyone and have a to do list that never ends will relate to her immensely. The scenes with Iris in the woods were beautifully described. There's been a lot of books right now that focus on nature and it's a trend that I like. Sonja Yoerg"s books always keep me interested and invested in the storyline.
Full review to come on my website.

“Sometimes it takes a stranger to show you what should be obvious, how far you’ve drifted from who you want to be, from what’s right for you, your true place.”
To me, this is the heart of the novel. When two people's lives cross paths unexpectedly, their lives, and the lives of those around them, will never be the same. Suzanne had been lost most of her life, and was floundering when she finds Iris. Iris had spent her life in the woods. When Suzanne takes her to the hospital, then into her family's home, the difference in their lives is stark.
This was a story about life, the choices we make, and the paths we take...and finding a way to rediscover the path that we are meant to take.
This story really made me think about the path I am on, and where I am supposed to be. And, as in the novel, sometimes these thoughts are not always comfortable revelations.
I really enjoyed this novel, and the author's prose. This is the first novel I have read by Sonja Yoerg, and it won't be the last.
#TruePlaces #SonjaYeorg #LakeUnion #BloomReads #TallPoppyWriters

Amazing read! The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

MY THOUGHTS AFTER READING THE SYNOPSIS:
This is gonna be so awesome. I cannot wait to read about how this child adjusts to her new surroundings. I mean, she has never even seen running water or electricity! What will she think of this new world and how will it change her? How did she even end up in the woods? What made her finally leave the only home she has ever known?

Everything I hoped I would find in this book, based on the description, is the complete opposite of what I got.

After the death of her mother, a child that has been living the off the grid in the woods stumbles into the modern world where she is discovered and ultimately taken in by the woman that found her, Suzanne.

This story isn't about Iris at all, it is about Suzanne and her shallow, self-serving, unrealistic, cliché caricature of a wealthy entitled American family.


I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was also an Amazon Prime First Reads choice.

Sonja Yoerg writes beautiful literary fiction.She is an author who’s writing is so special so real I fall right into her novels and am taken into the worlds she creates.Highly recommend this gorgeous new novel.Will be recommending to all my friends. #netgalley #lakeunionpublishing.

Forty-two-year-old Suzanne Blakemore has the perfect life. She lives in a stunning house that could easily be featured in a magazine. She has a husband named Whit whose career is thriving, and she has both a son and a daughter; the perfect nuclear family.

One day she is driving on the Blue Ridge Parkway and stops to take in the scenery. She notices something out of place and is shocked to discover a girl burning with fever and all alone.

Suzanne rushes her to the hospital and discovers that the girl, despite her diminutive stature, is sixteen years old. Her name is Iris, and like a modern day version of Mowgli from the Jungle Book, she has never experienced civilization.

Unable to find any living family members, Suzanne welcomes Iris into the home and lives of her family members. She believes that she is saving Iris, but as the story continues, it seems likely that it just might be the other way around.

As a mother who has experienced both the joys and the challenges of raising teenagers, I was able to relate to Suzanne. Her whole life is, and has always been, about taking care of the children and ensuring that their busy lives run as smoothly as possible. It is easy to lose sight of yourself and your own wants and needs when you are too busy to even notice that you are not feeling fulfilled.

Author Sonja Yoerg has immense talent for description, and as a mother I found the following quote one that I understood implicitly.

"... That morning Brynn had leveled her with a look so contemptuous Suzanne had been certain her daughter was possessed."

What parent of a teenager has not had the exact same thought? The answer is: none that I know of.

Set in and around the gorgeous the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, the author paints a beautiful picture of the area where this story takes place. Readers find themselves immersed in not only the sights, but also in the sounds and even the smells of the region. The author's love of the area is obvious and shines through in every description.

Released only four days ago on January first, this book is a terrific choice for one to begin the New Year with and is especially perfect for Book Clubs.

I rate TRUE PLACES as 4.5 Stars out 5, but will round up so the rating is 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.

In the back of the book the author has included a discussion guide which is perfect for those who choose TRUE PLACES as a selection for their book club.

***Thank you to #NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book.***

This is a beautiful, thought provoking, story of a young girl, Iris, and a woman, Suzanne, who need each other to survive. The story of a young girl who knows nothing about the things in life except from the forest where she’s lived all of her life. No cell phones, tv, video games. None of the things that teens today can’t possibly live without. A woman whose family and friends keep her going all the time and don’t seem to appreciate the things she does for them. Her husband loves her with all his heart, but like she is not like she wants to be.

When Suzanne finds Iris on the porch of a place on the side of the parkway she has no idea how much she will change. What the child will bring to her life and what she will bring to the child’s life. Iris is a tiny little girl who does not look like she should be sixteen years old. She’s a very strong girl who has had ot survive and work hard to live. She hates being confined in the hospital, or as the calls it, a cage. She ends up living with Suzanne and her family but not without a few problems. Suzanne’s daughter, Brynn, was hateful which to me was typical of a teenager. She was jealous of Iris and in many ways she was cruel. After a devastating thing happens she sees the error of her ways and understands her mother much better. So I did like her in the end. I never liked Tinsley though. She is Suzanne’s mother. A very cold unfeeling woman. In my opinion.

This is a very good book. One that will make you believe in things again. It might even give you some hope for the future. It does me in many ways. It’s a beautifully written story of love, loss, heartache, love possibly being found again, children learning big lessons and adults too. I truly enjoyed this book from start to finish. It held my interest so well. It’s so worth reading. You will learn a few things along the way too. At least I did.

A big 5 stars from me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union publishers for a copy of this in exchange of my honest opinion/review. I honestly loved it. Loved the characters. Well most of them. I highly recommend this book..

When Suzanne, a mother of two teenagers, finds 16 year old, Iris, lying beside the highway, she has no idea how much it will transform her and her family. Why has Iris been living alone in the woods? Will she be able to assimilate to life in society? Or will the noise, chaos, and double standards be too much for her to comprehend?

"Iris knew being strong wasn't enough, because life could weigh more than you ever imagined. You had to bend, like a branch laden with snow, arcing toward the earth."

I was at a 3 star rating for much of this book (mostly because I felt preached to in parts and didn't care for Suzanne's daughter, Brynn, who was a spoiled brat). The very strong, philanthropic ending, however, persuaded me to increase it to 4 stars. With that being said, my heart ached for Iris, I respected Suzanne's caring nature towards Iris, and I appreciated how the story gelled so well at the end.

"Sometimes it takes a stranger to show you what should be obvious, how far you've drifted from who you want to be, from what's right for you, your true place."

If you enjoyed this topic (of a girl living by herself in the wild), then I would also recommend Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah, Somebody's Daughter by Rochelle B. Weinstein, and Leave No Trace by Mindy Mejia.

Location: Charlottesville and Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC of this book for an honest review.

I loved True Places by Sonja Yoerg. The writing was beautiful ..almost lyrical, and the characters so well developed. The plot and story line were excellent.
I fully recommend reading!