A Home Like Ours by author Fiona Lowe had many story arcs that held interest. Some surprise twists in an overall good read.
Review copy received from the Publisher via Netgalley

In this small town saga, we meet four women who are all from very different parts of town, but cross over in the community garden.

- Tara. Mum to two small kids, not sure if her marriage is going to last and struggling to find her place in home and business.
- Helen. A middle-aged single woman who was homeless not so long ago (although she won't tell anyone that).
- Jade. Teenage mum to a 1 year old with a boyfriend who comes home every few weeks to take what he can.
- Fiza. A refugee who finds racism and prejudice in her new home, but some kindness too.

In different ways these 4 women are displaced and trying to find their home. The exploration of small town politics, families, prejudice and poverty was very well done. I would have enjoyed this book much more if the characters were... well... nicer. Helen, Jade and Fiza chapters were enjoyable, but Tara was very difficult to like and all of her friends were just as nasty. It took away from the novel for me.

Still, I recommend to those who enjoy character driven novels in a rural Australian setting.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

How gorgeous is this cover.

I thought this was a fabulous read, it had so many issues weaved into the story that are of great importance to me; homelessness, racism, refugees, single mothers, domestic abuse; I thought Fiona Lowe did a great job of covering them all and bringing them to people's attention.

Though I have several of Fiona's books waiting on my shelf, this is the first one I have read and I am now determined to get around to reading them all.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, the cast of characters were so varied, all going through their own struggles. Some I liked, some I didn't, but they all played their part in making this story a full experience.

Set in a small town, where tension towards refugees and immigrants is high, I was upset at the way some of the people of the town behaved towards these people, because of the colour of their skin or their religion, just as I am upset when I see it and hear about it daily, I really appreciate authors who bring these issues to the fore. Whilst some of the characters in the story were willing to learn about who these people actually were, to look beyond what was on the outside and see the person and their experiences, to see what they could bring to the community, there were those who were too closed-minded and bigoted to do any such thing, these are the kinds people who I wonder if they will ever wake up and see that we are all people and all entitled to be treated equally.

Homelessness was also a topic covered, Helen used to be homeless, now she caretakes the community garden and works in a cafe in town. She also takes food and invites the hidden homeless women in the town to join her for a meal, she knows it isn't much, but it is a way of letting these women know they haven't been forgotten and providing them with a meal they otherwise mightn't get. It is incredible how blinkered people are to issues that don't personally affect them, and this is the case when people would ask, oh, do we have homeless people in our town? Homelessness is a big issue and more women are becoming homeless every day through no fault of their own, it is an issue for everyone to address, not just the government.

This novel made me think and feel and I felt compassion and empathy towards the characters. This is a big novel, over 500 pages, but it was one I couldn't put down and ploughed through, completely engaged and invested in the people of this town.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Australia for a digital copy of this novel in return for an honest review.

A Home Like Ours offers an informative, occasionally troubling, but ultimately uplifting exploration of the lives of women in rural Australia.
The story is told from three separate perspectives, those of Tara, Helen and Jade.
Tara Hooper is among Boolanga's more affluent citizens, sharing her beautifully renovated heritage home with her husband Jon and two gorgeous children. She and her husband own the district's profitable hardware & nursery business, are part of a tight circle of friends and, on the surface at least, appear to have it all. But appearances aren't everything - Jon works long hours to maintain their store's market share in the face of competition from multinational competitors further affield, and often appears bored or disinterested. Tara is feeling unappreciated and angry, suspicious of Jon's apparent lack of attraction to her. She's taken up running with a personal trainer as a distraction from her increasing worries about the future of her marriage.
Helen Demetriou is entering later middle age without the security she'd always expected to have. She's endured periods of homelessness and subsists from day to day on her meagre income earned from a local takeaway store and her stipend as caretaker of Boolanga's community garden. Her brusque demeanour hides a sensitive soul who is fearful for her future and wary of forming close bonds with others in case they let her down. An activist at heart, Helen antagonises the rather conservative members of the community garden committee by pushing for the inclusion of all members of the community, rather than just the privileged few. Her long term goal is to establish a "tiny house" village for the use of older women who, like herself, have become homeless due to changed family and/or employment circumstances.
Jade Innes is the 19-year-old single mother of baby Milo. She's desperate to do a better job of parenting than her own mother, but is rather hamstrung by the disinterested attitude of Milo's father, an itinerant farm worker who seems more interested in drinking with his mates than being there for Jade and Milo. Jade's making tentative steps to make connections in Boolanga, joining the library to indulge her love of literature, and rather begrudgingly accepting a plot in the community garden, in which she can grow vegetables to eat and the flowers she's really more interested in.
The three women's lives intersect, and all three also make connections among the women from Boolanga's former refugee communities, originally from Afghanistan and Sudan. Initial prejudices and misconceptions are gradually broken down as new friendships are forged and each of the three main characters undergoes a sort of catharsis in terms of how they see themselves, their lives and their ideas of community.
Having grown up in a mid-sized rural town not too far north of fictional Boolanga's setting on the Victorian side of the great Murray River, I felt that Fiona Lowe's depiction of small town society, dynamics and xenophobia were well-described and representative of the reality many inhabitants experience. While there are many benefits of living in a smaller community, they can also be quite insular and offer limited opportunities for those who are struggling socially and/or financially.
The stories of all three women resonated with me, although my own present life circumstances probably most closely resemble those of the more privileged character, Tara. I found Lowe's storyline around the experience of unexpected chronic and debilitating illness particularly poignant.
At almost 600 pages, A Home Like Ours is a hefty tome and requires a reasonable degree of commitment from the reader. I haven't previously been a frequent reader of the "women's literature" genre beloved by so many of my friends and family, and it took me several chapters to really get into the feel of the book. However, by the halfway point I was well and truly hooked by the characters and their stories. I raced through the last portion of the book in a single sitting.
I'd recommend A Home Like Ours to readers interested in the lived experience of women, the challenges and wonderful gifts that come with living in an evolving multicultural community, and the importance of community in creating a sense of individual and group wellbeing.
My thanks to the author, Fiona Lowe, publisher Harlequin Australia (HQ Fiction / Mira) and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.
For additional information, see: A Home Like Ours

A beautifully written novel covering difficult topics such as homelessness, racism, illness and discrimination. Whilst Tara Hooper seems to have the ideal life, behind the scenes her life as she knows it is falling apart. Helen is overseeing the Community Garden and campaigning for better treatment from Council for refugees and the homeless. Jade is a young single mum struggling to be a better parent than her own and striving for more in life. These three women come together to break down misconceptions in their community and battle a corrupt Council. I was hooked on this story from the Prologue and could not wait to see what would happen next. A brilliant story inspired by some local Geelong community groups. Loved it!

This was another really interesting novel by Fiona Lowe. She examines topical themes, such as homelessness and racism. She also examines what can be gained by working in and helping in the community. She also puts aside some stereotypes about refugees and religion. For all that, A Home Like Ours is an easy book to read, a very interesting story. I think Fiona Lowe is onto a winner here. Thanks to Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel.

It's a thick book - but I'm glad I don't delay it to start this one this weekend. @fionaloweaustralianauthor certainly knows how to present the story smoothly, keep you interested from the very beginning. It brings up about how people still have prejudice of people from different race. However, this book certainly covers a few of themes from racism towards immigrants, homelessness, parkinson disease, and community life. It's a heart-warming story of Tara, Helen, and Jade. Tara, wife of Jon, a business owner, whose marriage relationship is on the edge. Helen, was homeless for about six months until she finally finds piece of her life back through her work in local community garden. Jade, is a young mother with a baby, who her partner is pretty much neglected her to survive day to day life by herself. It's one beautiful story about embracing the differences and being kind to one another.

I'm struggling to find the words to write this review. Different from anything I'd read before, A Home Like Ours is a fictional story addressing homelessness, refugees, racism, single and teen mothers, spousal abuse, disability, extramarital affairs, small business ownership, and political corruption - to name a few of the themes. I think that may be the problem here; it's not possible to honestly address everything here and still feel like a responsible and accurate representation of these very real issues, even with almost 600 pages. This could, or should, have been several shorter novels within a series, each focusing on different characters and highlighting one or two specific issues.

Another problem was that I couldn't make myself feel any interest in any of the characters. They were clearly written to fit specific roles (protagonist/villain/underdog/saviour), I just didn't like any of them. They were all narcissistic, existing in their own bubbles, disregarding the feelings of others around them, and refusing to consider they may be rude, incorrect, racist, or just wrong. They all had this 'poor me' attitude, even after being forced to admit that they may be the ones at fault in their negative interactions with others. The only people I liked were the refugees who were all side characters and had to deal with the main characters' small-mindedness and egotism.

So why, with all of these problems, did I persevere through this longer than average novel? I suppose I was hoping that with time the characters would become more likeable and address their prejudices, that the story would simplify and focus on fewer topics, and the conclusion would provide some satisfaction. Whatever it was, something kept me reading. While the ending wasn't necessarily disappointing, the 'twist' was predictable from a mile away and it seemed to end on the same mediocre note consistent throughout the book.

Something worth mentioning is that I do believe it could be difficult, or at least irritating, for readers in the international community to follow along. The author likes to throw around common Australian vernacular and assumes that the reader will be aware of government programs and Victorian companies and regions without explanation. Having lived in Australia for the last seven years it was easy enough for me to follow along, but I can see others becoming discouraged from having to skip or google unknown concepts, ruining the flow of the story.

This is the third book I have read by Fiona Lowe and I am fast becoming a fan of her writing.
In this book Fiona touches on homelessness, young-single motherhood, racism, corruption and many other contemporary issues that will no doubt stir strong feelings in many.
The characters in the book are very engaging and I quickly was drawn into each of their plights. The main characters being Helen, who having been homeless now has a home provided by the 'Boolanga' council as part of her role as caretaker of the community garden. She is prickly and quite distrusting of others having been betrayed in her past by those closest to her but determined to try and help others who are homeless.
Then there is Jade a very young, single mother of a baby who lives from moment to moment when her boyfriend Corey might come to stay, but not to share any parenting responsibility or any of his income. He uses Jade shamelessly but she is so desperate to provide her son Milo with a family she puts up with it.
Then there is Tara, who feels that her husband is growing distant from her and is possibly having an affair. She is flirting with her personal trainer and contemplating the thought of having an affair herself.
Set in Northern Victoria in the region of Shepparton/Echuca, this is a great story told with a lot of heart and humanity. There is a lot of food for thought on how we judge others without knowing the full picture. I can highly recommend this book.
Thank you Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for my digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly let me say I loved this story, it is a story that takes in some issues that are with us always and handles them so well, this is the story of women and the struggle they have in their day to lives not only with family but homelessness, the upheaval of moving from war torn countries to start a new life and how a community garden help them come together, learn from each other, open up to each other and fight for justice and happiness.

We meet Helen, she is in her fifties and has been homeless for a few years now, although well-educated and willing to work that doesn’t mean that a job is easily given to her at her age, she has struggled but kept her dignity, when she arrives in the beautiful small country town of Boolanga she finds the community garden and things start to look up for her.

Then there is Jade a teenage single mother who has never known the true love of a family and that is one thing she is determined to give her beautiful son Milo with a drop in boyfriend Milo’s father never there to help she struggles but when she finds the community garden growing food and flowers gives her a well -deserved lift in life.

Fiza has arrived from war torn Sudan with her teenage son and young twins to make a fresh start in life, she is a nurse and works hard for her family but growing plants is what brings her closer to her past and the community garden is the place to start, here not only does she get to grow plants but she also meets strong woman like her.

Tara’s life is a struggle at the moment for her and her husband Jon they have two children and run a successful hardware store in town, their marriage seems to have lost its sparkle and with a series of break-ins from a crime spree the happy contended life is changing for her.

This story brings woman from totally different backgrounds together, things don’t always run smoothly and personalities can clash but the community garden, the joy at growing food and flowers brings them together, they learn so much from each other, they are there for each other in many ways and friendships and trusts are formed. Challenges are thrown up when their community garden is under threat and they band together to fight them, I loved these woman, MS. Lowe has made these woman come to life on the pages and I was cheering them on as their lives move forward in this beautiful town.

This story was an emotional journey for me, so beautifully written, it pulled at my heartstrings as we see Helen, Jade, Fiza and Tara find their happy place in life, to see them form such beautiful friendships that all started with a community garden, a place to bond and learn, yes I was left in tears at the end, tears of happiness, thank you MS. Lowe for another keeper, these ladies will stay with me for a long time to come. I do highly recommend this one.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy to read and review.
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EXCERPT: Riverbend picnic ground greeted her in a spectacular sherbet dawn with myriad shades of pink, purple and peach splaying across the sky in long graceful strands. The Murray River, wide at this bend, glinted violet in the light and a lone pelican glided towards her. Cockatiels shrieked and wheeled above, bursting yet another myth that the country was a quiet and peaceful place.

The wide sandy beach with its tall over-hanging trees - perfect for swinging and bombing into deep water - provided Helen with the real gift. Its existence meant the shire had spent the big bucks installing a boat ramp, gas barbecues, an instant hot water tap, picnic tables and a playground. There was also a state-of-the-art amenities block complete with a toilet for people with a disability, a sink, baby-change area and, miracle of miracles, a shower.

Despite her exhaustion, Helen whooped with delight. She lathered up and washed her hair, herself and then her clothes. Afterwards she fired up a barbecue, cooked an egg in bread and ate it sitting in the folding camping chair she'd found on a roadside collection weeks before. Soaking up the view, she pretended she was living in one of the impressive riverside homes, enjoying her custom-built outdoor kitchen on her deck.

Daylight meant no one would ask her to move on; she had a few hours reprieve. A few hours to luxuriate in normalcy and ignore her homelessness. Then the sun would inevitably sink, giving carte blanche to the insidious march of inky darkness and all the dangers that lurked within.

ABOUT 'A HOME LIKE OURS': Tara Hooper is at breaking point. With two young children, a business in a town struggling under an unexpected crime wave, and her husband more interested in his cricket team than their marriage, life is a juggling act. Then, when new neighbours arrive and they are exactly the sort of people the town doesn't want or need, things get worse.

Life has taught Helen Demetriou two things: being homeless is terrifying and survival means keeping your cards close to your chest. Having clawed back some stability through her involvement in the community garden, she dares to relax. But as she uncovers some shady goings-on in the council, that stability turns to quicksand.

For teenage mother Jade Innes, life can be lonely among the judgement of the town and the frequent absences of her boyfriend. A chance encounter draws her into the endangered community garden where she makes friends for the first time. Glimpsing a different way of life is enticing but its demands are terrifying. Does she even deserve to try?

Can such disparate women unite to save the garden and ultimately stop the town from tearing itself apart?

MY THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed the prologue, in which we meet the homeless Helen who is living in her car.

At 30% I was seriously considering abandoning this book. We have jumped forward in time several years and are introduced to Tara, Jade, and Bob and the various people in their circles. I wasn't connecting with any of the characters and was bored by the repetition, Tara's obsession with sex, and Jade's adoration of her deadbeat boyfriend and father of her baby. And then there's the machinations of the local council, vandalism, racism, prejudice, Tara's mainly horrible 'friends', her obsession with her gym instructor, and her husband's medical problem. Too much! It was like tipping several different salads into one bowl, mixing them up and then expecting people to eat them.

I finished the book mainly because of Helen. And Fiza. And Bob and his nephew Lachlan. In the end it was almost okay read, but only just. A Home Like Ours is a long book and frequently dragged. The author tries to address far too many issues at once and while we get a lot of information about some, others are virtually ignored after being introduced.

I would have loved this book to have focused on Helen's story, which is where it started. Each of the other main characters and issues deserves their own book.

I finished still feeling mostly dissatisfied. There were questions I had that remained unanswered, and the ending felt glib and shallow. I am glad that others have found this an uplifting read. I didn't.

Reading is a personal and subjective experience, and what appeals to one may not please another. So if you enjoyed the excerpt from A Home Like Ours, and the plot outline appeals, please do go ahead and read it. Many other people have read and enjoyed A Home Like Ours and rated it higher than I have. Please also check out their reviews.

⭐⭐.3

#AHomeLikeOurs #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Fiona's been the recipient of a RITA and a RuBY award. Families and communities intrigue her and she loves creating characters you could meet on the street and enjoys putting them in unique situations where morals and values can blur and she begs the reader to ask themselves, 'What would you do?'

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harlequin Australia & MIRA for providing a digital ARC of A Home Like Ours by Fiona Lowe for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Another wonderful book by this Aussie Author.
Helen was at her lowest, a ‘mature’ woman living in her car due to life’s circumstances but she finds sanctuary in the town of Boolanga, a small country town in the River Murray area. Becoming the caretaker of the community garden, she has a passion for gardening and encouraging the local refugee women to come together while also being aware of other homeless women in the area.
But there are dodgy dealings happening in the council and rumours are afloat that the gardening land and her cottage that comes with the caretakers roll will be sold to overseas factions.
There is so much in this book and although I have a lot happening in life at the moment and didn’t read it as fast as I normally would, it was a pleasure to sink into the story every time I did.
With themes of displacement, different cultures, racism and chronic illness and disability this story weaves seamlessly around a number of people and families.
I highly recommend this.
Thankyou to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

“Life was an unpredictable lottery. But surrounded by a community and a garden, the future was easier to face.”

An insightful, warm and engaging story, A Home Like Ours is another fabulous novel from award winning Australian author Fiona Lowe.

When Helen arrived in the small town of Boolanga in rural Victoria three years ago, she had been living in her car, searching for work, and a place to call home. Now, having secured a position as a caretaker of the town’s community garden which provides her with a small cottage, her new found stability is threatened when she insists a local group of refugee women be provided with plots.
Jade is a young mother with no family to speak of and a deadbeat, often absent, partner. To supplement her meagre pension, and provide her baby son with organic produce, she reluctantly agrees to assist Helen in the community garden. Though initially distrustful of everyone, especially the refugees, Jade slowly discovers a place she could belong.
Tara doesn’t understand why her husband, hardware store owner, Jon, seems to have lost interest in her. Wrapped up in her own self-pity, she is stunned when he is diagnosed with a debilitating condition, and is forced to consider what community really means.

The central theme of A Home Like Ours focuses on the effects of displacement. Like the protagonists of Lowe’s story, almost all of us are vulnerable to events such as illness, injury, relationship breakdown, unemployment, unplanned pregnancy, as well as extreme situations like war, which could result in a complete change of circumstance.

To face these sorts of unexpected challenges requires the support of a community - of family, of friends, and often even strangers. Lowe’s decision to centre the story on the town’s community garden is a clever one. Not only is it a site that allows her to reflect the population of the town at large, but it’s also a setting in which her very different characters can plausibly meet.

Portrayed with a realistic complexity, I really liked Lowe’s characters and found their stories to be engaging. It’s impressive that she is able to credibly depict women who are of widely disparate ages and backgrounds, and have diverse concerns. I would have liked for Fiza, a Sudanese refugee, to have had a larger role in the story, though I can understand why Lowe likely shied away from doing so.

Lowe also explores a range of specific issues relevant in Australia at the moment including racist attitudes towards refugees from African countries, the rise of homelessness experienced by women over 55, the inadequacy of current social support payments, the lack of support programs in rural areas, and government corruption. It seems like a lot, but these issues overlap and intertwine, enriching the story, and informing the reader.

I barely noticed that A Home Like Ours was almost 600 pages long, engrossed in the well-paced story I finished it in a day. This is a wonderful read that encourages empathy, compassion and community.

Our story takes place in Boolanga (a fictional town) and we predominantly explore the lives of Helen, Jade and Tara. Helen is in her late fifties and has experienced hard things in her life – an unhelpful husband, tragedy, homelessness and ageism, yet still is a force to be reckoned with where she sees privilege being casually lauded over people, she is quick to cut it down. Jade is a young, single(ish) mother with a son, Milo, and we understand that due to her age and upbringing, the things Jade is used to and expects in relationships and for her life in general, are far from ideal. Finally, Tara, a married mother, who outwardly appears to have everything but spends most of her time questioning everything – her marriage, her effectiveness, her usefulness, her appearance, her friendships…. The women are connected through a community garden project.

Helen is diligently working with a group of refugee women (and those less fortunate/favoured by the committee) to make them and their families feel welcome, as well as Jade who feels left out of all of the groups in society. Tara is a contact Helen tries to network with in order to help with a community garden. The racism aspect comes from a spate of minor crimes: thefts, graffiti and damage to businesses, which is all blamed on the ‘Africans’.

Fiona Lowe has given real depth to her characters in this novel about racial and class prejudice and the privilege a lot of us don’t even realise we have. I honestly got so annoyed about the casual racism and the lack of regard and respect by people for others (particularly the “friends” IYKYK) in this novel.
I think this lends weight to how good the writing is because it has evoked a response from me (unfortunately I know people who are just like the people portrayed in this book).

There is so much going on in this book: ageism, racism, classism, ableism, young love, “old” love, new love, body image issues, domestic/partner violence, crumbling marriage, a potential affair, failing friendships, "situationships", local government rorting, ailing health, alcoholism/abuse, and you get an idea of the topics that make these women’s lives so complex and layered. Each needs to adapt and move as, in some parts of the book, the hits just keeping coming. Each of the women has their faults: most of which this reader identified with, but it was rewarding to see each character grow and form different/better attitudes and to learn to respond to challenges and slights.

I think this read was so enjoyable for me because it felt realistic.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for the opportunity to read it.

‘You never get a second chance to make a first impression.’

I am a fan of Fiona’s work as she often tackles important contemporary issues, inviting her readers to contemplate what their own attitude or response might be. On this occasion, in a rural setting, Fiona offers a range of social situations for consideration.

Once more Fiona has created a cast of characters with real depth and range. Whether it be the teenage single Mum, the married middle aged wife, or the older retiree. These women, with their individual problems, band together and create a community that is willing to support and provide for each other. It is rather a long tale, slow in some places, but Fiona obviously wished to bring her reader into each character’s plight and story.

The problem I have is that I feel Fiona took on way too many topical issues in this one book. You will read everything from displacement, racism, volunteering, chronic illness, homelessness, poverty, ageism, single mothers, refugees being the main ones. Is it possible to do justice to each even with the book pushing six hundred pages? Fiona certainly gives it a fair attempt, yet to my mind, I would have appreciated fewer issues with more concentrated detail.

I did enjoy the underlying dilemma that served to bring the community together and reached a good climax by the end to provide an all up engaging tale. Ultimately this is a book about hope, learning to break down social and cultural barriers to create a community worth living in. Would you be strong enough to take steps and make things right?

‘Your blind spot was underestimating a young single mother and an older homeless woman. We don’t shy away from battles. We live them every day.’





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

A HOME LIKE OURS
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the advanced copy. A home like ours will be released on the 3rd of March.

I love a good Aussie author and Fiona Lowe is one you don’t hear much about, but a great one! Fiona elegantly weaved in so many important themes ranging from teen pregnancy, homelessness, illness, corruption and racism. I loved the sense of community spirit and what can happen when the town unites as one. Tara, Helen and Jade were completely different, yet so alike in so many ways. Fiona has written a thought provoking book. Definitely add this one to your TBR!

I really love Fiona Lowe’s books and the ways she creates such relatable characters . She has done this once again in A Home Like Ours . The story covers a lot of social issues including racism , domestic violence , chronic illness , homelessness and corruption in local government and the characters a great mix ! Throughly enjoyed this novel !

Fiona Lowe shines again with another page turning book! This is a big book (over 600 pages) but I honestly could not stop turning the pages and was quite surprised to learn the page count.

A small town story set up on the Victoria/New South Wales border about a colourful group of characters. There is Tara and Jon who are successful business owners in the town, they look like they have so much going for them to the outsider but there are issues brewing which will have life-changing consequences.

Helen has been rough sleeping in her car as a result of circumstances in her life but is given a life-line when she takes over care-taking of the local community garden. She encourages local refugee women to participate in the garden where they all develop strong friendships despite their ages and backgrounds, and learn a lot about each other as well as themselves. But this is not enough for power hungry councilors who are determined to look after their own interests and want the garden gone.

Enter Jade who is a young single mum with baby Milo to care for and his absent father Corey who appears infrequently, doesn't provide anything in the way of support. She has trouble seeing a future for themselves in their current circumstances.

All these characters make up an engaging and absorbing story which tackles many issues - friendship, racism, men's health, community, politics, romance, homelessness and much more. I absolutely loved being within the pages of this community for those 600+ pages and would recommend this book to readers of Women's fiction and small town stories. Fiona's writing ticks all the boxes for a great read in A Home Like Ours.

Many thanks to Harper Collins/Harlequin Mira and Net Galley for a copy of this book for review in exchange for an honest opinion.

A Home Like Ours is the fifth novel by Australian author, Fiona Lowe. Some three and a half years after her inauspicious arrival in the little Murray River town of Boolanga, Helen Demetriou is deeply involved in community projects. She coordinates the Boolanga Community Garden, living in an old cottage adjacent, as well as bringing left-over food to the town’s parks for the homeless.

When Fiza Atallah, a Sudanese refugee, expresses interest in gardening a plot, and access is blocked by Judith Sainsbury, the Garden committee’s petty bureaucrat, Helen arranges an extension of the garden on some vacant land, and Fiza and a group of Hazara women establish new garden beds for their traditional foods. Helen reminds Judith: “the garden’s on shire land and it exists to reach the broader community regardless of age, gender or country of origin.”

At nineteen, Jade Innes is accustomed to critical comments about her youthful motherhood from people like the snooty Baby Time mums at her main refuge, the library, but she’s determined to do a better job of raising Milo than her mother did with her. In the flat she can barely afford on her Jobseeker allowance, scrimping and saving to feed and clothe her boy, she’s bored and lonely. Milo’s father is mostly absent except when he has needs to satisfy, and contributes nothing to Milo’s upkeep.

On a walk by the river, she spots the community garden, and helps out with harvest in exchange for some fresh veggies. She’s wary of the Hazara women, but soon finds they are genuinely friendly and never critical. Milo’s racist dad forbids their contact with his son, but in his absence, Jade makes her own judgement.

Tara Hooper is at a loss. The mother of two has worked hard to be trim and attractive for her husband, to no avail. Jonathon, owner Hooper’s Hardware, Timber and Steel, is so gorgeous that Tara is the envy of the town’s female population, but she begins to agonise over the reason their marriage seems to be failing: a number of unwelcome possibilities fill her mind… she distracts herself with more fitness activity with her dishy personal trainer.

Jon seems to value her business input more than any intimacy, and sends her off to the Community Garden to explore sponsorship with the Gardens’ coordinator. Meanwhile, their store seems to be the target of vandals and thieves, and the local cop is convinced that the African youths are to blame.

Lowe’s story touches on many topical themes, including racist attitudes towards refugees, poverty, chronic illness, and local council corruption, as well as the age-old subjects of prejudice, friendship, loyalty and betrayal. She easily evokes her setting and the small-town mindset.

She gives her characters passion: homelessness, its very existence in the little town denied by most, is an unenviable fate to which Helen is no stranger, and she tirelessly lobbies the shire council to approve a sustainable tiny houses project for homeless older women, who are the fastest-growing homeless demographic.

Tara’s preoccupation with her first-world problems, and her reaction to them, may paint her as shallow, but when it is blown out of the water by an unanticipated explanation, she finds her awareness of the issues troubling her neighbours and those less fortunate in the town, is heightened.

Lowe throws together unlikely allies who, when push comes to shove, bring the perfect mix of initiative, inventiveness, pragmatism, fieriness, stoicism and guts. She gives them wise words: “People think it’s the bad things that undo us. But in my experience, it’s often the good stuff that trips us up, reminding us what we had, and what we miss the most” and “When a crisis hits, it’s never the people you expect who step up,” are examples. A thought-provoking and heart-warming read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and HQ Fiction.

A Home Like Ours is set in a small fictional town in Victoria, Australia. It's what I'd call an issues driven book. It's full of them! It is also filled with a wonderfully  eclectic range of characters. Many of them I fell for, and of course some of them are just not ready for redemption yet. We can always hope change one day might be possible! I mention a few of the central characters below who experience displacement of one kind or another and do grow through it, largely because of the support of others in the town and their own resilience.

The plot centres around a community garden, a group of women who want to keep it going and to admit those who others don't "approve". And there are some dastardly councillors who want to sell a plot of land adjacent to the garden to big developers. Of course lining their own pockets in doing so.

Helen is the caretaker of the garden - she has had a tough life, she is in her mid-fifties and while educated has found it difficult to find a job in the past. She also knows first hand what homelessness is all about. I loved spiky, tough talking, take no nonsense Helen. And its a matter of can she have her heart opened again and embrace  a second and better life.

Tara is a younger person with two children and a family owned business in town. She is about to find out what its like to deal with a big challenge and who her friends really are. I really felt for Tara and her husband Jon. I liked how their story develops.

Jade is a young single mother - to Milo. She lives on a benefit and if I thought Helen was spiky well Jade can give her a run for her money. Jade has had a tough life, however she is about to find out what trusting and opening up to new possibilities are all about.

Oh, I forgot to mention all of the above are white! Because in town there are also a number of refugees with pasts that none of us have ever had to live through and when they come to their new country everything is not as rosy as promised. 

You can't read this book and remain detached from all the issues presented. Mainly I think because they are so universal and we know them in our own towns. The book asks us to examine our own hearts. To name a few - homelessness, white privilege, prejudice towards those who are different, struggling single mothers, abusive partners, ageism, the sudden onset of a challenging disease.

Coupled with all that is true love and trust, hope, belief in what can be changed and how we can build a better place by being open to and learning about differences. And what true friendship looks like.

Fiona Lowe has written a rich, thought provoking book that will long remain with me.