A gripping story of intrigue, trauma and the aftereffects on a young boy suffering from autism, but his fathers words 'get help' stayed in this mind and that is what he did. He helps his family and others along the way. And finally finds his voice.

What a book! One of those stories where you can’t put it down as you are drawn in by the characters, the suspense and the need to know what happened right through to the chilling ending.

A family go to spend the weekend at a cabin in the woods, previously their happy place. Then suddenly we have a badly injured Dad, a Mum who cannot find the words to defend herself as she is suspected of murder, Theo, their son, who is missing after his Dad told him to run and daughter Kaycee rushing back from college to make sense of what has happened.

Theo is such a wonderful character. He is autistic and the author is very clever in showing the world from his standpoint. His tender relationship with Rose and her back story with her brother add another dimension to the story.

Kaycee has always felt abandoned as her mother concentrated wholly on Theo. The family were falling apart before the traumatic incident that starts the book.

Gradually things are pieced together and the awful truth is revealed but only after the reader has been taken in a rollercoaster of emotions along with the characters.

I have long been a fan of Nicole Trope and she has written some amazing novels but this is the best yet.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance review copy.

Bring Him Home is a terrific book. Couldn’t put it down. A real edge of your seat page turner. Have tissues ready. I highly recommend this book.

The description of this book alone is enough to have you intrigued, and after the first page it is impossible to leave this book alone.

Bring him home is an emotionally driven story about a family that is almost at breaking point. Kaycee is at a bar when she receives a phone call that will change her life. It is the police, informing her that her parents have been involved in an incident. Unable to drive herself as she is drunk, Jonah offers to take her to the Blue Mountains where the cabin her family normally holiday’s in is situated.

When they arrive at the cabin Kaycee is distraught to find her younger brother who is Autistic and non-verbal is missing and can’t help but blame herself for not coming along on the trip as she usually would. The fear of losing her entire family is overwhelming, and the thought of 11 year old Theo being out in the storm all alone breaks her heart.

With her mother Cecelia laying in a hospital bed, battered and bruised and unable to speak, and her father Nick fighting for his life in surgery, and Theo still missing, Cecelia is relieved to see her daughter by her bedside, but the fear of remembering what happened is overpowering her, leaving Kaycee feeling rather helpless as she fights for all of her family.

Bring Him Home is such an emotionally driven story that has you hooked from the start. Nicole Trope has such a fascinating writing style, it really allows the reader to become fully immersed in the world she has created. The characters are well structured and believable, each of them so incredibly unique and having their own flaws which have major impacts on the story.

With a fast paced storyline that makes it impossible to put down, I found myself fully invested in the family getting the answers that they – and we, the readers, so desperately need. I will be telling everyone about this brilliant book!

This is the first book from this author that I've read and I've started with a good one!

This is an emotional crime thriller. It was a fast paced story that kept me interested until the very end.

I am definately going to read her other books when I get the chance.

I Literally could not put this one down. Wow what a great late night read! I started this book late last night. And I didn’t stop till I finished it... at 4am. It was quite literally unputdownable! This one had it all, amazing characters that were so well developed, suspense in spades, plot twists and turns that make your jaw drop and a pace that makes it impossible to stop reading. I was sad when I finished it and after a few hours sleep I find myself still thinking about it and about the characters today, they stuck with me. I absolutely loved this one!

Regular viewers of this blog will probably be aware that I regularly feature book that include the well-known trope of a missing child. There are so many books out there with this as a key event, that it is a wonder that authors that still able to put an inventive and original spin on it. Nicole Trope certainly does this, ensuring that the narrative is gripping and emotionally charged throughout.

As someone who works closely with autistic pupils, I am someone who believes themselves to know a lot about the spectrum and the condition. I am always a little nervous to read books about autistic young people, especially those written from a first person perspective, as I think this is a rather difficult challenge and sometimes people can fall into ‘stereotyping’ rather than appreciating the individuality and merits of an autistic person. However, Nicole Trope’s portrayal of Theo is sympathetic, sensitive and something to be admired as it is so well done. To her merit, she also uses multiple perspectives to allow us to gain empathy for, and connection with, other characters, including Theo’s mum and sister.

The title of this one is shown to have a number of meanings in the book, and highlights a number of important themes and questions. I have loved the exploration of what it means to have a home, to be home and the delicate and flexible nature of our brain as it preserves memories and protects us from harm.

Overall, this is an outstanding and emotionally charged, page turning book that I have thoroughly enjoyed and been immersed in. After reading, I definitely feel this is comparable to House Rules by Jodi Picoult in terms of its excellence, and would recommend this author to fans of Jodi Picoult and Amanda Prowse.

I got hooked on this book within the first few pages and I couldn’t stop reading until I’d finished it. I enjoyed the fact the chapters bounce between different narrators such as Theo, his mother and his sister. Theo has autism and the author does a great and sensitive job of bringing him and his personality to life. I enjoyed the chapters from his point of view as he tries to work out what he needs to do, understand what he saw in the cabin at the start of the book and whether he can trust people or not. This is definitely a page-turner. I loved it. The book open with a shocking, violent event and you don’t discover the truth about what happened until the end of the book.

She was seen bending over her husband, large knife in her hand. He had been stabbed in the chest. When the police arrived, she was almost catatonic. She has flashes of memory... staying in a rented cabin ... a marriage teetering on the edge ... and worst of all her husband telling their young son .. RUN!

Where is her son? The hospital nurse tells her the search for him has slowed because of the storm. The police think the boy has the answers to what happened that night. But she has no idea where he is. Did someone take him? Did he run so far he got lost?

Please, please keep him safe she thinks .... but if they find him and he tells what he knows, she may not survive. But if he isn't found .. how will she survive that?

This is a heart-wrenching tale of a family torn apart at the seams. A well written page-turner with solidly described characters standing in the midst of an internal and external storm, swirling with non-stop action. Suspense starts at the very beginning and holds steady until the final unexpected conclusion.

Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

This is a fantastic emotional read that I could not put down. I love this authors books and this one could possibly be her best yet.

A family in turmoil, each with there own problems. Nick is a heart surgeon who has had enough of being shut out by his wife. Cecelia who has shut out her whole family apart from her son Theo who has Autism. Kaycee there oldest daughter has gone off to university and finds herself drinking uncontrollably and in a bad relationship.

Every year for two weeks the family takes a trip to the blue mountains. This year Kaycee has decided not to go. Choosing to stay in the city drinking and having fun.
Shortly after they arrive there is a serious incident that leaves Nick in the hospital fighting for his life. Cecelia in shock and cannot speak to tell them what happened and Theo is missing after his Dad told him to run.

This book takes you on a emotional roller coaster and does not stop until the end. The characters are real and relatable and they all have their own back story.
This is definitely one of this years must reads.

Beautiful. Heart breaking. Stunning. Poignant. A tale that grabs you by the heart, that wrings your emotions, involves you, makes you care. Just wonderful and very highly recommended.

First, I want to thank Nicole Trope, Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

Ohh WOW!! Nicole Trope you pulled hard and I mean hard on my heartstrings with Bring Me Home!! This is one unforgettable book that will stay with you til after you finish it! It was very suspenseful, emotional, heartbreaking, and at times educational as well.

Nicole did an amazing job painting a mental picture of the breathtaking autumn view in one of the first scenes. I could totally see myself spending some quality time there.

Bring him home introduces you to one of my favorite characters in the book that stole my heart! Theo an mute autistic little boy who witnessed something horrid no child should ever witness captured my heart. Nicole definitely did her research on Autism because it showed. I found his character incredibly fascinating.

Another character I really enjoyed was Jonah. He had a huge heart of gold and was there for Kaycee through thick and thin when nobody else was. Now there is a real man for you!

I will admit that there was one beautiful scene that made me tear up with happy tears.

This is one of Nicole’s best stories that I have read of hers. I would be really interested in a sequel to follow up with the family.

This was a good story, nicely written but unfortunately I could never bring myself to actually believe it. There were too many coincidences for my peace of mind.

Nevertheless the story was emotional, Theo was an absolute charmer and there was plenty of tension about what was going to happen. Still somehow I was never involved in what was happening and it was easy to put the book down when real,life called.

I can understand why people are rating it highly.It just wasn't for me.

Kaycee was at the bar where she was every Saturday night, when she received a phone call to say her parents had been involved in an incident. Kaycee was also drunk, but Jonah took her to the Blue Mountains where the holiday cabin was, and where she learned her brother, Theo, autistic and non verbal, was missing. The disgust Kaycee felt at herself, the fear she felt at the possibility of losing her whole family, the terror she felt when she thought of eleven-year-old Theo out there alone in the storm. Kaycee vowed things would change…

With Cecelia in the hospital bed, bruised and fearful, unable to speak; Nick, her husband, fighting for his life in surgery, the surgeons unsure if he would make it, and Theo missing, Cecelia was grateful to see Kaycee by her side. But still she couldn’t talk, she was afraid to remember, afraid of what would happen. Would Theo be found? The storm was violent, he would be cold – the search wasn’t able to go into full swing because of the weather.

Bring Him Home (originally titled The Child Who was Silent) is a breathtakingly brilliant novel by accomplished Aussie writer, Nicole Trope, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I couldn’t put it down; the pace was electric, my worry for the safety of Theo, especially as I neared the ending, was real. The characters were exceptionally well written, with most touching my heart. I wanted to hug Rose, especially when she started singing ‘This Little Light of Mine’. Bring Him Home is, in my opinion, the author’s best in a while and also, one I highly recommend.

With thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by Nicole Trope - 4.5 stars for an emotional read!

Kaycee is off at college when she receives a call that her parents, Nick and Cecilia, have been seriously injured in an incident at their vacation cabin and her younger brother, Theo, is missing. Theo is autistic and nonverbal which only adds to the urgency of finding him. But what happened in the cabin? Cecilia is found holding a knife over Nick who was stabbed through the chest. In the hospital, Cecilia cannot speak nor remember exactly what happened only that the trip to the cabin seemed to be a last-ditch effort to save their marriage.

Told in different points of view, in the present and past, this is a suspenseful, emotional read. The world of an autistic child felt very real and accurate as well as the emotional toll it can take on an entire family.

''Your son is missing'' they say, and life as i know it is over.

My heart races as images flash in my mind. The cabin we rent every atumn. Voices raised. Tears falling. A marriage falling apart. And worst of all, my husband telling our child, Theo, to run.

I'm quickly becoming a huge fan of Nicole Trope. This is the second book of hers that i've read.

Something bad has happened and eleven year old Theo, who's autistic, is missing. His dad had told him to run. But there's a terrible storm. Luckily Theo is found by the lovely Rose. Rose and Theo were my favourite characters. The story is told from multiple points of view. It's an easy book to read and it kept my attention throughout. The characters are complex and they all have their own backstory.This is such a poignant and beautifully written story. Have the tissues ready, you'll need them at least twice.

I would like to thank #NetGalley, #Bookouture and the author #NicoleTrope for my ARC of #BringHimHome in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the characters and the storyline but I felt like the book dragged and I had a hard time staying focused on it. I found myself reading a few pages and then putting it down.

3.5 stars

I’m torn by this book. I liked most of the story itself, but I’m uncomfortable with the author writing from the perspective of a child with autism when she doesn’t have autism and doesn’t personally know anyone with autism, outside of those she said she interviewed to write this book. This, of course, begs bigger questions about writing, but I don’t want to go too deep into that here. So, I find myself in the position of not knowing exactly how to review it. But, I’ll do my best, and you can make your own decision.

A hiker gets lost in the woods during a powerful storm and stumbles into someone else’s cabin, hoping to be rescued. Instead, she finds Cecilia, clutching a knife, bent over Nick, her husband, who is covered in blood. Because Nick is near death and Cecilila is in shock and unable (or unwilling) to speak, what no one knows until hours later when they manage to reach Cecilia and Nick’s college-age daughter (who has a serious problem with trying to binge drink away her problems) over the phone is that their 11-year-old nonverbal, autistic son is missing and lost in the bad weather. Even as search parties are sent out, though, Theo is found hiding under her house by Rose, an 85-year-old woman who lives alone in a cottage, where she talks to her deceased sister and lives with the memories of their brother who also had autism and spoke by signing, just like Theo does. Unfortunately, even as Rose knows she needs to get help, she lives off the grid -- for reasons that will eventually become clear -- and there’s a storm of the century raging outside, so she can’t tell anyone where Theo is.

Rose’s character was very interesting, although the similarities between Theo and her brother seemed a bit much, especially as the author kept emphasizing that every person living with autism is different. But, as the story continues, her history is very sad, and it’s almost no wonder that she’s living as far away from anyone else as she can.

Kaycee, Theo’s big sister, was another interesting character. She’s in a dead-end relationship with a partner who was arguably emotionally abusive, and spends most evenings drinking away her guilt for leaving her brother and her sadness because she felt neglected by her mother. But she definitely grows during the book, and stops acting like a tantruming child and more like an adult.

On the other hand, I had a lot of trouble with Cecilia’s character. While she did experience trauma, it was nowhere near what was implied during most of the book, especially compared to Rose’s history, and her refusal to speak just seemed to be a plot device so Kaycee and Rose could grow. As a mother, this seemed like the least believable part of the whole book.

Overall, the story here was fine, and I even liked the writing in the chapters from Theo’s point of view -- maybe more than any of the other characters since Theo may have been the least predictable story. However, especially when it came to end with Theo, the message surrounding autism left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for my honest review. It did not influence my opinion.

I enjoyed this suspenseful story. This is a well written story that has twists and turns that kept me turning pages. The characters are relateable and made the story fun and entertaining to read. I enjoyed how the POV changed from person to person as the story went on. It was easy to read and I didn't get lost and was able to keep up. What happens when a little boy is missing, a woman can't remember what happened and a raging storm. This was a really great story I enjoyed as the characters brought it to life. I am glad I picked it up and I highly recommend it.

This is my 4th book that I've read by this author and I find I either really love the story and can't put it down or Its OK but I'm not totally gripped.
This one had me at not totally gripped.