In today’s world there are many types of non traditional families, but they are a family. This book reinforced that statement. Duffy’s characters and writing style captured me at the beginning. I laughed, I cried and experienced many other emotions.
Many thanks to Atria Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A heart rending story addressing societal issues of what makes a home and family, and how PTSD can affect both. I liked the dual POV's and don't think this story could be told without it. It is truly reflective of the fact that we never know another's reality. It helped me see differing perspectives and gave me a better framework to relate to the story. I adored Libby. She is wise beyond her years. I initially thought I wanted more character development of John, but realized it was perfect for him. So many suffering PTSD don't reveal much of themselves, suffering inside their own minds. Home means many things to many people. The lives of these characters hold true to the societal concept of "it takes a village". Several of the characters benefited from the love and support of their village.

A well-written book that was not a good fit for me. I'm discovering this year that it is possible for me to dislike a perfectly good book.

As a reader, I prefer a book with a goal - find the killer, solve the puzzle, complete the quest. This is not that sort of book. This is more of a snapshot in time of a group of people. It's character-driven more than plot-driven. It's a sad story at times as the characters deal with PTSD, repercussions of war on the men and women fighting it, drug and alcohol use, etc. It took me as long to warm up to the characters as it took them to warm up to one another, which is a little while, but by the end I enjoyed Libby and Quinn and their friendship. Quinn's boss and her family were a fun part of the story for me, too, and I loved how they were incorporated into the book. And there are some great dogs in the story, too.

If you enjoy stories that dig into characters and watch how they negotiate difficult seasons in life, you should definitely check this one out!! My only complaint is that I felt the prologue's relationship to the story in terms of the timeline wasn't clear which left me flipping back and forth trying to figure out where it fit. (Language, LGBTQ, PTSD/war stories, drug and alcohol use, sex)

This was my first Lisa Duffy book and I can't wait to read another! I was invested in the characters and their lives from the beginning. The story alternates viewpoints from Libby and Quinn. I loved the story line of Libby being raised by her father Bent and her two Aunts. They each have their own personalities and a special role in Libby's life. Quinn's story is heartbreaking as a realistic picture is painted of PTSD, the effects it has on the Vet and those who love them. Even though it tackles family conflict and real topics such as PSTD and substance abuse it somehow manages to remain uplifting and heart warming. I smiled and chuckled throughout the book. There elements of romance, mystery and even suspense as the story culminates. I read with fingers crossed that things would turnout for the best for the intertwined lives of these characters that I felt I had come to know. This one gave all the feels and kept me wanting to turn the pages.

Lisa Duffy has done it AGAIN ❤️ My husband and I both adored her debut novel, THE SALT HOUSE, and felt ALL the feelings while reading it. In THE IS HOME, Duffy yet again brings out the emotions, this time the trauma caused by untreated PTSD in soldiers.
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I don’t want to share too much of the storyline this early but I highly recommend adding this domestic fiction to your summer reading list.....and make sure you pick a block of dedicated reading time to start it because you simply won’t want to stop. It’s full of book club potential too, just like THE SALT HOUSE.

This book surprised me. I finished it a few days ago and the characters have stuck with me. I want more! I need to know what happens with each of them! Such a good book!

Sixteen year old Libby Winters lives with her father Bent and her dog Rooster in the middle apartment of her Aunt Lucy's triple decker, in the coastal town of Paradise, near Boston. Her Aunt Desiree moved in with Lucy on the top floor, after breaking up with her boyfriend.
Libby's mom died of cancer and they sold the house to pay the medical bills that piled up. She wants to tell her dad she is longing to go home, but she knows he would say this is home.
Quinn Ellis is renting out the first floor apartment since her husband John left suddenly, without a word. John suffers from PTSD, but refuses to get help.
Bent, now a police officer, served with John in Iraq. He is in touch with him, but honors his wish not to tell Quinn where he is.
At first Libby is unfriendly to Quinn, resenting her intrusion into their lives. But eventually they begin to bond and become friends.
The story explores the pain of PTSD and addiction, but lightens the sadness with wonderful touches of humor.
It alternates between the voices of Libby and Quinn, as their stories intertwine.
Such a magical, beautifully written book. The characters became my friends and I didn't want it to end because I would have to leave them!
Lisa Duffy has an amazing gift of storytelling and bringing her characters to life.
After reading this, I bought her first book, The Salt House and now I can't wait to read it.
This one is a must read for summer, add it to your list!
One of my top books for 2019!
thank you to Atria books and NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Lisa Duffy’s latest novel, This is Home, is an incredibly heartfelt look at love, loss, desires and fears through the lenses of various family members. Life is full of good, bad and ugly. This is Home respectfully puts PTSD in the spotlight in this harrowing tale of life after war.

The story is told in dual narration by teenaged Libby and thirty-something Quinn who have been thrown together by fate. Well, fate and Quinn’s MIA husband and his ex-sergeant. While each character is on their individual quest to find love and happiness, the two narrators’ odysseys are the primary plot of the book. At first wary of one another, these two form an unlikely bond that illuminates and refines their needs and how to fulfill them.

Quinn lost her husband, John, to war. Not that he physically died in battle, but he mentally and emotionally died as a result of PTSD. He just couldn’t make his way back to Quinn. Fundamental to her moving on is the determining if she ever really had him.

“I said John is a good soldier. Doesn’t mean he was a good husband.” – Bent

Libby lost her mother to both emotional distance and cancer. She has essentially been raised by her father and aunts. She is a highly intelligent and emotive young woman, who has figured out that “dying isn’t the only way someone disappears”.

“Coming home to people who are happy to see you…” makes a difference to each of the motely characters in this novel. Even when coming home also means dealing with dysfunctional relationships and addictions. Because it is the sense of belonging and acceptance that create the feeling of family and home.

This is Home is an emotional journey that will greatly affect readers. Bent was my absolute favorite, but I loved all the characters. Ms. Duffy’s character development and creative storytelling is superb. This heartfelt novel is one of my #MustRead2019 books.

This Is Home is a beautiful story of redemption, family, and friendship. Duffy’s prose is lyrical, and her ability to tell a story is outstanding. I highly, highly recommend this book; it is a spectacular read.

Do you ever finish a book and feel like you’ve just said goodbye to friends you’re not ready to say goodbye to? That’s how I felt about This is Home.

When I started this story I wasn’t sure I was in the mood for a character driven story but within the first 15 pages I was hooked. The book begins with a sad, somewhat vague prologue and then alternates between Quinn and Libby’s perspectives. ⠀⠀
Quinn is in limbo after her husband John, who”s returned from the war and suffering from PTSD, vanishes. Libby is a 16 year old girl who lives with her dad Bent, her dog Rooster (loved him!) and has her two aunts Desiree and Lucy helping to raise her as well. I completely connected with both Quinn and Libby as Duffy created two flawed yet extremely likable characters. ⠀⠀

In my opinion, two perspectives is the perfect number to tell this story because while their stories are separate they do overlap, plus each perspective brings in various ensemble characters making this a brilliant way to create a story with a variety of people to know and love…or not love. ⠀⠀
Friends, I flew through this book, finishing it in a day! The pace flows so well, the writing is gorgeous without ever feeling flowery or stilted, and the dialogue is perfection. Seriously, I can only imagine how hard it must be to create dialogue that literally zings, that makes characters feel like real people but Lisa Duffy has done just that! I hope you can tell I loved this book & highly recommend you add this to your summer TBRs.

If you are looking for a beautifully written story with a ensemble cast of characters that are not only incredibly well drawn, but also wholly relatable, then look no further because This is Home was absolutely gorgeous! I’ve had The Salt House on my TBR forever and after reading this gem it won’t be lingering on my unread shelf much longer.

This is told via alternate perspectives, it flips between Libby and Quinn as Quinn moves into a new apartment where Libby lives with her family. Each woman had a strong, distinct and woefully raw voice, the type of realness that tugs on your heartstrings and also almost hurts to read about because it’s so heartbreakingly honest. Both are struggling with similar issues and find they have more in common than they first thought, they’re dealing with everything from abandonment issues to alcoholism, PTSD and just being a part of a military family in general and all of the issues that come with that. Add in an additional supporting cast of characters that are also genuine and basically leap from the page and you have magic.

Duffy shines light onto dark topics with a graceful and sensitive touch, she talks about highly important issues that should be discussed more in such a poetic and truthful way and I was captivated by the whole thing. I think anyone who has struggled in their life (and really, who hasn’t?!) can relate to this one in some way, it really is an amazing read and one that comes highly recommended by me. Would also be ideal for a book club pick, lots to unpack here and I think it would lead to some thoughtful discussions.

This is Home in three words: Raw, Beautiful and Heartfelt

A beautiful book about finding family in an unlikely place. Quinn and Libby were so well written. I loved Libby’s POV—the author did a great job of writing from a teenage girl’s perspective.

Desiree and Lucy were also really likable characters, and Sully and Bent had my heart from their first lines of dialogue. Rarely do I read a book where all the characters are so endearing in their own way. I couldn’t put this one down.


I received an advance copy; all thoughts are my own.

This book was so good! I've never read this author before and wasn't really sure what to expect but I'm so glad that I read it. The book drew me in right away and I just had to keep reading. There are a lot of tough issues explored in the story and I like the way they were handled. I think it would be a good book club book, lots of things to discuss. Highly recommended!

“This is Home” is a perfect title for this beautiful story, because this book feels just like HOME. Books like this remind me why I love to read; they just make me FEEL. It was a pleasure reading this novel and I will definitely buy a copy of it to keep it on my shelf as this book is worth re-reading whenever I am feeling nostalgic or stressed out. Wonderful story of love, friendships, family dynamics, and everyday problems that many of us face in this crazy world. Just do yourself a favor and read this gem, and you will not be sorry. Beautiful writing style, well-developed characters, that you will wish were your own family, gripping plot, and so much emotions packed in just 300 pages.

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author, talented Lisa Duffy for giving me an opportunity to read an early copy of this stunning book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book drew me in right away. The characters are easy to fall for. While this story touches on a tough topic, PTSD I think it was an important read and one that can be talked about in an open conversation. Duffy did a great job at telling this story and creating these characters!

The connections between these characters was surprising, amazing, and perfect. Every person in this book is connected to the others. They are family members, community members, housemates, brothers, fathers, daughters, and sisters. They protect, they push, and they love with their whole hearts. I loved how connected they were and how they stood together no matter what was happening.

Libby is the perfect teenager. She grew up mostly without a mother but had her aunts and her father to give her the love she needed to thrive and grow. When Quinn moves into the apartment below them, she brings a relationship that Libby didn’t know she was missing. It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t quick but it was real. She became a friend, a confidant, and a woman in Libby’s life that was there by choice not just because she is family.

Lisa Duffy wrote a book that handles so many tough subjects, PTSD being a big one, but she does it with care and respect. She shows how a disease can affect the person and those who love them. There is so much involved with the characters, their lives, and the lives they share. I couldn’t put this book down.

My. God. This book right here you guys! I was drawn immediately as I started to read about Quinn’s story. As a soldier (and military wife as well!) I have faced pre and post deployment issues up close and personal. I honestly loved it. It is a story about facing your truths and accepting the things you can’t change.

Great 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.

This was a wonderful novel that had well developed characters that pulled you into their story and tugged at your heart with real life problems. I found myself furiously flipping through the pages to find out what was going to happen because I felt so invested.
If you have never read a book my Author Lisa Duffy I highly recommend doing so. This was my first book I have read of hers and it will not be my last.

Thank you to Atria books for the free review copy. All opinions are my own.

I loved Duffy's first book, The Salt House, so I was super excited when I got the chance to review this book, and I think that I loved this one just as much - if not a little more. 

In this book, Duffy tackles hard topics like PTSD and absent parents. I like how with each of the characters, they are trying to figure out where home is and what it looks like. Each character is uniquely different and brings life into their home apartments. The writing is wonderful. I was pulled into the story right away and became so invested in the well-being of these characters. There is also great contrasts between some of the characters that show how trauma can manifest in different ways. I think that this book will be with me a long time.