This book was sad at times and hopeful at others. Leo finds himself the guardian of young Sky after her adopted parents have died. The characters and those surrounding Sky were wonderful. They truly came together to take care of her. The things that come out during the story were surprising.

I had put off reading this book for a while, not sure why, it really seemed like something that I would enjoy reading. I have to say that this contemporary fiction novel was just okay. Several different characters with normal life problems. I will say that the twist for the book I was able to figure out right away. I felt that some of the reactions from the characters were not believable. Overall the book wasn't horrible. It was just okay.

I loved Lisa Duffy’s last novel, This is Home, and her new one is also a wonderful read. Leo lives with his husband, Xavier, on Ichabod, an island community in New England. When Leo’s best friend and his wife die in a car accident, he finds himself with custody of their 10 year old daughter, Sky. There are so many well drawn characters in the village, such as Agnes, the school nurse and snobbish busybody, Maggie, an elementary school teacher who is trapped in her marriage, and Lillian, a newcomer, who is also Sky’s grandmother. Everyone on the island seems to have secrets, and some of them will prove to be life-changing. If you enjoy well-written character-driven novels, Lisa Duffy should be on your to-read list. Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for this ARC.

Title: My Kind of People
Author: Lisa Duffy
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 4.25
Pub Date: May 12, 2020

Thanks to Atria Books for sending me an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

T H R E E • W O R D S

Layered • Heartfelt • Uplifting

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Recently orphaned, Sky finds herself questioning what her life will look like now that her parents are gone. Leo, a longtime family friend, is now Sky's legal guardian, and is determined to take care of Sky even if it means upending his own life. Thus, he has left his life and husband in the city to return to Ichabod Island in order to retain as much consistency as possible in Sky's life. Supported by a community of neighbours, they are determined to get through the tragedy together. My Kind of People is a story about community and family, of love and friendship, and of hope and long held secrets.

💭 T H O U G H T S

As soon as I read the first page, I knew My Kind of People was going to be a book I wanted to curl up with and really sink into. And I did just that. Lisa Duffy does so much right: the atmosphere, the characters and the plotting. I was completely absorbed by the small town setting, the tight-knit community of Ichabod Island, and the uplifting yet mysterious storyline. The entire cast felt so real, possibly because they were all flawed in their own way, which made for astounding character evolution. The way the community came together in the face of tragedy was heartwarming. The mysterious woman element added a little something extra, as my brain tried to piece together who she was and why she'd come to the island.

Without a doubt, My Kind of People was a pleasant surprise, and I absolutely adored spending time with these characters. There are times when a book comes to you at the perfect time, and this was definitely a book I needed. There was just something so healing within its pages. I'll be keeping an eye out for more of Lisa Duffy's work from now on.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• anyone who enjoyed Night Road by Kristin Hannah
• contemporary fiction readers
• fans of small town settings

⚠️ CW: adoption, death, death of parent, car accident, grief

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

Awesome family drama! My Kind of People has everything: mystery, family dynamics, addiction, tragedy, mental illness, racial and social differences, secrets, betrayal, and most importantly love and hope. I simply could not get enough of this book!

I did not enjoy this one sadly. It did not hold my attention. I may just not have been in the right place at the time to properly read and enjoy this book.

Lisa Duffy's novel, My Kind of People, is my kind of book.

Lots of family drama, a bit of mystery, characters I can cheer on and characters who are flawed and real.

The community of Ichabod Island, just of the coast of Massachusetts is an important character in this deftly woven novel. When 10 year old Sky becomes an orphan for the second time in her short life, the community rallies to support her and her guardian, Leo. Well, most of the community does.

Most of the residents of Ichabod Island have secrets of their own they are trying to protect. But as we all know, secrets rarely stay hidden. They mystery of Sky's parentage is one of many long held secrets that is starting to unravel.

I enjoyed this novel as well as the author's previous novel, The Salt House. Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books and author Lisa Duffy for the complimentary e-book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A big ol' stew of so many things! Familial relationships, sexuality, addiction, oh my! In many ways this was a great escapism book, peeking in on the lives of Leo and his husband and the girl he is left guardianship of. Oh, and so many others on the small island. But it was also a good solid look at how people react to each other and how family and love don't necessarily need to be presented in a traditional manner. Most of the individual story line endings were easy to figure out before they were revealed, but as with any good escape book, it didn't detract from the journey to get there. So many little victories to cheer for and a few steps backwards to make you wonder if perhaps you don't know how things will end! Perfect for a chilly winter or warm beach read.

Loved this book! So sweet with great characters that still surprised me. A good yarn. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

This was such a sweet, sweet book! Sky was, at a very young age, on such a heart wrenching journey, losing so many people she loved. To call it a 'coming of age' story sounds so cliched, but she did grow so much while being embraced by people in her town. This book has made me want to read more of the author's back list. Heartwarming and encouraging read.

After reading Lisa Duffy’s debut novel,, “The Salt House” back in August of 2018, I knew that I’d like to read more of her writing. Though I missed her second novel, I can assure you that this, her third, was a very satisfying and enjoyable read.

For some reason I’m always attracted to books with an island setting. This one, a tiny island off the Atlantic coast of Massachusetts, made an ideal backdrop for the story.

Strong in characterization, the writing made me want to really know the characters in real life – so immersive was the story. The characters were “My Kind of People“.

I guessed very early on the secret of Sky’s birth parentage, but that in no way diminished my reading pleasure.

A book of friendship, parenting, community, and family, this novel will appeal to many. Highly recommended!

The latest release by Lisa Duffy is beautifully written and I absolutely love the characters in this novel! If you’re never read any of her novels, you should definitely give her work a try. Highly recommend for summer reading!

Lisa Duffy is phenomenal. Her release last summer, This Is Home, struck me in so many different ways that I had a hard time picking up another book for almost a week. My Kind of People is no different. I imagined knowing all of these characters as if they were real people, just like I did with TiH. When finishing a novel by Lisa Duffy, you find yourself missing people that don't exist, and this is a true testament to the wonderful writing and creating of the author.



I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I really loved this book. It had a great cast of characters, put me in my feels and addressed some pretty sensitive issues in a way that just made me feel really good about the whole thing at the end.

The story takes place on a small island, in a neighbourhood that doesn't always embrace change and things are the way they are because that's just how it is. Then a tragedy strikes and the community needs to come together for the sake of one little girl who has been orphaned for a second time in her short life.

This book had so many elements that make a read enjoyable for me. As I mentioned before the characters were fantastic and were developed just perfectly. From everyones favourite neighbour, Joe, to the crotchety, nosy spinster on the block, Agnes, each character was a delight to get tot know. The story also had a mystery story line in it which is what put me in my feels, there some some tears!

I am so happy I have another Lisa Duffy on the shelves because I'm not done reading her work.

#FirstLine ~ In the hours before dawn, she slips out of the house and runs.

Like I said with my previous review, once I read THIS IS HOME, I had to read another book by this talented and wonderful storyteller. I was once again blown away by the way Duffy draws out the characters, within an amazing setting within a story you come to love. Duffy may be a new favorite author of mine! I just love when that happens!!! I highly recommend all books by this amazing author!

I so enjoyed this book. Readers of Elin Hiderbrand will enjoy the beachy setting with a great story. The characters in this book were so well developed I felt like I knew them. I will read more by the author!

Very delayed in leaving this review, but I really enjoyed My Kind Of People! It's hopeful, its characters are resilient, and it has the kind of story that feels both universal and unique. A brilliant read for anyone struggling with grief and craving a sense of community.

I actually enjoyed this one and loved the characters as they dealt with life. Recommend to other readers.. I would read another book by this author.

I enjoyed this book. The writing was steady. The characters were believable (although not insanely lovable). The story was interesting enough. But for whatever reason, it was hard for me to stay engaged. Discipline kept me coming back, not genuine desire. The ending also felt fairly predictable. But if you’re looking for a light hearted read, this is a good one.

This was my first book by Lisa Duffy and won't be my last. Sky is an orphan living on Ichabod Island, a small island off the coast of Massachusetts. Her parents have died and she is in the care of her guardian, Leo. Leo is her father's married life long friend and is newly married to Xavier. There are all kinds of characters that come into Sky and Leo's lives. Maggie is the sweet neighbor down the street who help's take care of Sky and is involved in her own marital problems with her police chief husband. Agnes is the busy body down the street and Frankie is Sky's best friend.

I loved the Northeastern coastal setting and the variety of interesting characters. This heartfelt story has a few twists and turns and plenty of small town drama. Some parts felt a little predictable and easily resolved, but I still enjoyed getting lost in this story of family, friendships, and secrets kept for people we love.