4.5 stars!

Walk through the door and leave all your problems behind...but you don't know what's on the other side. And once you leave, you'll never come back. Will you go through?

Maren Walker has a lot going on. She doesn't make much money, her grandmother is sick, her friend is spiraling, and she doesn't know what to do with her life. Everyone knows that when your door appears, you have a choice to make; take the door and leave your problems behind, or stay and try to make things work. What will Maren do?

This book was amazing! The cover really doesn't do the story justice. I knew there would be magical realism here, but the cover made me think of more fluff and less grit, which this story has much more grit than expected. Maren and her loved ones are quite poor, and options are few. She really wants more for her life, but many external factors, as well as internal ones, hold her back. Maren's mother took the chance to walk through her door when Maren was nine, and it's affected her life ever since, so when her door appears, the dilemma begins.

I loved the relationships in this book. They felt very real and included pain along with the happy moments. At times the characters were frustrating, especially Maren's best friend, but it felt very true to life. This was very thought-provoking as I kept wondering if I'd take my door if I ever had one. I highly recommend this book!

I loved the premise of this story. The descriptions were rich and beautiful, which sucked me right in. Ashley Blooms definitely has a special way with words that brought the little doors to life.

While I enjoyed the book, I was left wanting a bit more from each of the characters. I love a character-driven novel, but just didn't get the depth I was hoping for with this one. The one exception to this is Granny, who I could not get enough of! She was so witty and real.

The climax felt like it was a bit out of left field. This said, while the final conclusion was predictable, I can't imagine it going any other way! I just wish the bow hadn't been tied quiiiiiite so perfectly. Our cast of characters being a bit rough around the edges was what drew me to them. By the end those edges were a bit too smooth for me.

All-in-all, I would recommend this to someone who is looking for a heart-felt story with a touch of magic and romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital review copy!

As someone who has grown up in rural Appalachia this book resonated with me. Ashley Bloom portrays her characters with such empathy and understanding it is as if she grew up on the next mountain over from me.

With heavy topics such as mental illness, substance abuse, grief, and desperation the book captures the battles of some rural Appalachian’s. The characters that are portrayed as purchasing drugs are giving their explanations as to why they are in that position, what usually started out as something prescribed is now something critical to a family’s survival. The frustrations of the characters felt so real and relatable.

Well alright - this is a really wonderfully written story, the author's skill as a writer is clear from page one. This book is everything you would think - it's heavy and hard beautiful and oooof the prose captures that perfectly. It's kind of... magic realism, and it tackles poverty and addiction in a way that many books aren't capable of. I really really love this book.

4.5 stars, rounded to five

This novel is written beautifully with wonderful descriptions. Many times I would stop and re-read a sentence because of how well it was worded. The story caught my interest from the very first page. The story concept of the doors is unique and really got you thinking. I can imagine how difficult it would be at times to NOT go through a little door once it presented itself.

This book does get a little heavy at times. The characters’ desperation and frustration are palpable. Mental illness and drugs are two strong themes in this novel.

This is a great book for book clubs because there is plenty to discuss. The back of the novel includes an interview with the author and reader discussion questions.

Thank you Net Galley and Sourcebooks for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review, which is not affiliated with any brand.

#NetGalley #WhereICan’tFollow

Ashley Blooms gets Appalachia just right. I feel comfortable saying that because it's where I live. I loved her descriptions, and the deep feelings I got from reading Where I Can't Follow. Haven't we all wished for that little door?

Life in the Appalachian mountains is tough and Blooms does a great job of showing us how poverty and lack of opportunity affects a community. While WHERE I CAN'T FOLLOW is a hard read; it is also an important one. Blooms shines light on the darkness we all feel from time to time (if not more often) and how our family can love us to pieces while still trapping us. It is about learning how to accept help when the only person you have ever had to depend on is yourself. Ultimately, it is about choices: what does it take to strike out in a new direction and if there were a little door to walk through to find a better life, would you take it?

Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this ebook copy!

Where I Can't Follow was interesting.
The premise was interesting and the amount of detail and the story itself, especially for a novella,
The picture painted here was very vivid and character development was good.

But some of the execution was at times confusing.
Leaving your old life for a new one. That idea seems a bit unreal to me.
I have to say this book just wasn't for me. I hate to leave this kind if review.... I hope others can get into this story. But I couldn't and I'm sorry for that!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel!

Thank you Net Galley for the free ARC. I really liked the idea of the book where you have a door that allows you to leave your life for a new one if you need to, even if you never can come back. However, the actual story was much less interesting.