Hello to the old days and how women were looked at when it came to owning land. I really appreciate the way the pioneers had to build their places and survive as we have so much in the modern days and take for granted all we have. It is so sad how little support some women had in some of the things they went through so it was really nice to read how much support the author gave these women.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the audiobook ARC.

Homestead is one of those books where the setting is a character, and is as important as any of the others. The brutal, rugged wilderness of Alaska would be enough to bring any newlywed couple to the edge of madness - not to mention violence. And when one of them has specific expectations that the other is unwilling to meet, well, just watch out. I thoroughly enjoyed Homestead, even the heartbreaking parts.

I loved the setting of the 1950's and creating a homestead in Alaska. It is definitely more of a slow burn and character-driven. It is a beautiful account of a marriage, family, the wild, fortitude, tragedy and love.
The supporting characters and relationships shined. I loved Marie and her sister's unending support for one another. I loved Lawrence's dad and his big, open heart. 
Occasionally, the writing style was difficult for me. It flows between Marie and Lawrence's POV's with no delineation. The dialogue felt clunky at times. But overall, it was a beautiful and atmospheric story. 
Read this if you loved The Great Alone and are ok with a more subtle and character-driven story. Read this if you loved Gap Creek and are ok with an Alaskan and 1950's setting. 
Thank you to Flatiron Books for the advanced reader's copy. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars rounded up. Homestead by Melinda Moustakis was an engrossing historical fiction debut novel that took place in the Alaskan Territory during the mid 1950’s. I listened to the audiobook that was well narrated by Ariel Blake. Melinda Moustakis was able to describe the landscape of Alaska so vividly throughout her novel. She made it quite easy for me to close my eyes and see the imagines she so eloquently described. Homestead was very well written and the characters were well developed and believable. It was very well plotted and it clearly portrayed the dangers and challenges the people living and settling in Alaska faced during those early days of its history.

Marie and Lawrence had both chosen to settle in Alaska but for different and yet similar reasons. Lawrence was determined to own land and escape his troubled secretive past. He had kept a secret for a long time. It was a secret that Lawrence was not proud of. Lawrence was unwilling to admit to it or share this secret with anyone. He had buried his secret deep inside himself and refused to reveal it for the shame it brought him. This secret, though, found its way into Lawrence’s dreams. Lawrence had grown up on a farm in Minnesota. He had learned the importance of hard work and owning land. When Lawrence was presented with opportunity to homestead in Alaska and purchase a parcel of land that amounted to 150 acres, he jumped on it. Marie had grown up in Texas. She had come to Alaska to be near her older sister and her husband who lived in Anchorage. One night in 1956, Lawrence made a promise to himself. He had just purchased the 150 acre parcel of land. Lawrence was now determined to marry the first woman he could. As Lawrence entered Moose Lodge, Marie and Lawrence locked eyes with each other. Within days of meeting, the two agreed to get married. They were both “in love” with the idea of homesteading rather than with each other. Marriage was hard enough to navigate but homesteading brought with it more challenges and struggles than either had anticipated. Would Lawrence‘s and Marie’s marriage survive the challenges and struggles of homesteading? Would they learn to love, trust and respect each other?

Homestead by Melinda Moustakis followed Marie’s and Lawrence’s experiences of homesteading in Alaska. It captured the dangers and fears of encountering wild life face to face. Homestead portrayed the excitement and fulfillment of the people of Alaska when they were granted statehood. Through the lives of Lawrence and Marie, one got to witness the hardships of the Alaskan terrain, the courage of those living there, their struggles, tragedies, disappointments, the dangers they faced each and every day, the loneliness, their losses, hardships, the sacrifices they made without a thought and the numerous challenges they faced head on. Initially, homesteading meant belonging for Lawrence and an escape for Marie. Would those initial reasons hold true for both Marie and Lawrence or would they evolve and change over time? I enjoyed listening to Homestead by Melinda Moustakis and recommend it. I will definitely seek out future books written by Melinda Moustakis. Publication was February 28, 2023.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of Homestead by Melinda Moustakis through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of Homestead.

This story of Marie and Lawrence's whirlwind marriage and subsequent homesteading enterprise in pre-statehood Alaska fell short for me. The lack of communication between Marie and Lawrence seemed inauthentic -- and leaves their motives unclear to the reader as well. The description of events in their lives left me detached as a reader. For example, there is a serious bear attack (more than one interaction with bears, actually), and I felt absolutely no sense of urgency about the situation.

I love historical fiction, and as a huge fan of Kristin Hannah's The Great Alone, I anticipated a higher rating. Unfortunately, it was kind of a boring disappointment.

I wanted to love this book… turns out, the only thing I loved about this book is the setting. Bush Alaska 1956, just as statehood was being considered. The dialog was uninspired and lackluster. Says…. Says…. Says. Creative writing 101 professors everywhere will have much to say! I did learn about the history of Alaska and how statehood came about. 2 1/2 stars

I absolutely love this book. The details were amazing you could almost picture you being right there.

Homestead is a story about two complete strangers who like the looks of each other and marry, they each have their reasons for wanting this union. Set in Alaska it tells the story of the true pioneer spirit, Will they stay together despite the hardships they face? They have to carve out this life in a place that can kill you at the next turn, all while getting to know each other. This book was beautifully written and I will be recommending it to family, friends and patrons. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, it was a great read.

If you like, The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah you will enjoy this book.

This story takes place in Alaska 1956. Marie is looking for a man to marry and start her life with, Lawerence is looking for land to finally call his own and be accepted in the world. The two marry only days after meeting but the love they share is for owning land and not really for each other. The story explores the hardships they endure for working the land, watching Alaska become an official state and much loss along the way. The couple is on rocky ground both literally and figuratively. Will they be able to survive these hardships? For me, this story was slow from the start. I had a hard time investing in the characters. I found the historical part of homesteading interesting but hardly enough to truly hold my attention. For this, I gave this book a 2/5.

After reading The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah I am obsessed with Alaska. So when I say that Melinda Moustakis had a novel about Alaska, I knew I had to listen to the audio of Homestead.

At first I was really drawn into the story of Marie and Shelley, two sisters who make a life for themselves in Anchorage in 1956. I loved the love story of Marie and Lawrence and the journey their life takes.

I thought the writing sounded beautiful as an audiobook and really enjoyed the first third of the novel. Then, the writing became choppy and actually made me a little anxious. I am sure that the author had artistic reasons for writing this way but I could not get past the many sentences that started with "and". In this case I wish I had the physical copy because I feel like the writing would have translated better than it did on the audio.

Overall, a good novel that showcases life in Alaska in the 50s. But, I just wish there was more to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

In 1956, Alaska was on its way to statehood, and many Americans were trying to lay their claim to land in the cold and unforgivingly wild environment.
Marie, one of our main characters, travels to Alaska to visit her sister, where she meets Lawrence, a veteran determined to make it in Alaska. The two married after knowing one another for a very short time and struggled with learning about each other and how to survive in Alaska.
The two main characters have mental health issues that make their relationship challenging, and they endure hardships that don't help with their overall health.
What was done well in this book was the development of Lawrence and Marie's mental health issues. I appreciated how the author delved into what Lawrence wanted in his life in Alaska versus what he could do. Marie's postpartum depression was also well written.
I would have appreciated the two character's narration having a better transition between the two.
Overall, an interesting story of mental health and survival.

My Interest

In my twenties I often wondered if I could handle Alaska. In my late 20s I went out to Northern Idaho, where my artist great-uncle and great-aunt lived until some lamentable far-far-far right wing groups invade and before the area was “developed” to cater to tourists and Hollywood. It gave me thoughts of a life lived in peaceful solitude, and the beauty of nature. You are laughing, of course. Never did I consider the WORK involved! LOL So, anyway, Alaska has long been on my radar. About 10 years ago a young friend moved there just for an experience. Even with an excellent health profession, it was so expensive we all mailed her food!
The Story

Not too long before Alaska achieved statehood [January 1959], a young woman from Texas journeys to Anchorage to stay with her sister and brother-in-law. Not wanting to go back, she looks around and finds herself a suitable guy. Marie and Lawrence marry and take out a homestead. This is back in the days of American Colonialism, when there were “no” settlers in Alaska because there were only the indigenous people whose land it was.

Lawrence has what we call PTSD today from his stint in the Army during the Korean “Conflict”–it was never declare as a “war.” He deals with it as best he can through hard work or even exercise. Meanwhile, he and Marie set up house in an an old bus modified to have a wood stove, while they clear the land and build a cabin. In town they see “natives” treated badly, but being people of their time and not woke individuals of today, they don’t like it, but they feel they must mind their own business. Lawrence is a little obsessed with “proving” his claim–[maybe a minor spoiler] it ties in a bit with his PTSD. Marie wants to share in the “proving up” of the claim. She though is by now pregnant. Her sister, back in Anchorage, has not been able to have a child. This is predictably a cause of tension between them.

The hard work of the homestead is obvious. Lawrence’s father arrives to help build the cabin and Marie is grateful. Her sister is her sole “support” in terms of a “support network,” as we’d call it today, but Lawrence’s father is soon added to that.

Late in the story, they take a risk and ask to be introduced to a father and son–Native Alaskans. They learn a bit about how they see things. The story does not catapult them (thankfully) into modern views, but they do learn and grown from it.

The parallels are between Lawrence and Marie growing in their marriage and Alaska going through the growing pains from Colonial “Territory” to full statehood–even though many would prefer they be independent (just like Puerto Rico).
My Thoughts

In Peace Corps I learned a lot of the idiocy of the “Great White Savior” mentality like bringing in Monsanto for fertilizer so that without it crops failed. Or showing people who had been successfully growing their own food for centuries a “better” way to do it based on what worked in North Dakota. At the time I read this I saw the “other” side of Mt. Rushmore–a mountain that to certain Native Americans symbolized their history. I can honestly say I knew nothing of that. And, while I would still like to see Mt Rushmore, I will view it differently. All of these things, as the woke would say, provide the “lens” though which I viewed the story–or “informed” how I took in the story.

No matter, it is a very compelling story told mostly with the manners and mores of the time–something I value in historical fiction. Not everyone was as clairvoyant as many authors want their historical characters to be. That Lawrence and Marie even agreed to meet Alaskans was a huge deal and made an impression on them.

That said, I did not really “get” the symbolism (if there was any) of Lawrence’s big “thing” [no spoilers]. Was it a modern-day attack on men? Was it something to do with his PTSD? Hmmmmmmm. Otherwise, I thought the book was very “real.” The actions of the characters were believeable. The author planted me firmly in that homestead. I felt the angst of Anchorage residents at statehood as they waited to see if their lives would improve with the Capital being moved there (hint: Capital is still Juneau). This part of the story caught my attention as I was in Peace Corps with one of the Anchorage City Planners from just after that era. Fond memory.

No matter, I enjoyed this book tremendously. I look forward to reading more from this author.
My Verdict
4.0

Homestead is a quiet but compelling story about a young couple trying to carve out a life for themselves in the Alaskan wilderness. When Marie and Lawrence first meet at the Moose Lodge in Anchorage they are inexplicably drawn to each other. When they marry six days later they are completely unprepared for the hard work ahead of them. Not just the hard work that comes with homesteading but the work of building a successful marriage.

Homestead is a beautiful sweeping story set against the backdrop of the Alaskan frontier. It is an emotional and reflective story about a young couple trying to build a relationship while dealing with the challenges of homesteading and past trauma. This is a character driven novel and I enjoyed seeing the development in both main characters. I also enjoyed the historical aspect, detailing Alaskan statehood. The pace is a little slow at times and I might have struggled with it if I read the physical book. I also would have liked more of a resolution at the end. What I loved about this novel was the writing. The prose are lyrical, poetic and absolutely stunning. Parts of the story are told through poetry and it was such a beautiful addition to the novel.

Homestead is a deeply felt novel about the hard work of building a family that is perfect for fans of The Great Along by Kristin Hannah.

Historical fiction lovers and fans of Kristin Hannah's The great alone are sure to enjoy this debut about a married couple who set off to homestead in the wilds of Alaska in the year 1956. This was a deeply moving story of marriage, family and the building of a new state. Great on audio narrated by Ariel Blake too! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Set in Anchorage, Alaska in 1956, Homestead is the story of Lawrence, who after roaming the woods of Alaska and finding the lot where he would want to build his cabin, stakes a land claim by signing the papers and agreeing to plant 20 acres of the 150 given to him to plant alfalfa.  He's a quiet man suffering from PTSD after returning from the war and after seeing Marie in the Moose Lodge one night asks her to marry him after their first date.  After all, there aren't that many available women in Anchorage and Lawrence needs a woman to help him farm his land.  It's more a marriage of convenience than a romantic one and Marie finds herself both hurt and confused at Lawrence's shyness and disturbing dreams. 

This novel is beautifully written and although slow moving I found the descriptive nature and beauty of Alaska to be pleasantly comforting.  It's a love story, a tragedy, a story of loss and grief, and also one of patience and understanding. 
The narration by Ariel Blake was well done and added to the enjoyment of the audiobook.

I will warn you that there are triggers and that I found myself having to stop listening for a bit as I was brought back to a time of loss.  A quick walk outside in the fresh air brought me back to be able to finish listening and enjoy this historical audiobook of love of Alaska homesteading. 

My thanks to #NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for the pleasure of reading and reviewing this ARC.  This opinion is my own.

Such a beautiful book. I am grateful to Netgalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook. It is a story of perseverance and resilience in the face of substantial difficulties and a strong possibility that things may not work out well or even at all. It is story that feels real, but since it is a fictional book, it is even better because these are characters who can live in your imagination for a long while.

Marie is a young woman who travels from Texas to visit her sister Sheila and Sheila's husband Sly in the Alaskan Territory in the 1950's before Alaska attained statehood. There she meets, and very quickly, marries Lawrence, a taciturn veteran of the Korean War who wants to secure a 150-acre homestead for him and his prospective family. Lawrence has been damaged by the War and suffers from flashbacks. In contrast to Marie and Lawrence's quick betrothal are Sheila and Sly, who know each other very well. In one scene, Sheila remarks about and then forgives Sly for spending money buying a round in a bar, something that Lawrence would never do.

Tragedy strikes Lawrence and Marie in the early days of their marriage, and despite the comforting efforts of Sheila as well as Lawrence's father Joseph, we do not know if Marie will recover. Will Marie and Lawrence learn to help each other and have a true partnership? The answer to this question, and the fate of their homesteading endeavor, kept me listening.

It was so easy to picture this landscape, where Lawrence needs to fell trees and he and his father build a cabin. Everything needs to be prepared and takes lots of time- cooking, laundry, mending and more.

And the isolation got to me. When a plane drops a container of vanilla to announce the arrival of a church in the area, it is startling to imagine the shattering of the quiet. Thankfully, as a break from the isolation, Marie has visits to and from her sister, who is a true confidant for her.

I have heard narrator Ariel Blake perform one other audiobook, and she was again excellent here. Her pace and phasing are deliberate which suits the material. She creates the right mood for this slow-paced story of life under difficult circumstances where resilience is required. She is quite good at voicing male characters. I think her narration complemented this novel.

It’s 1956, and Marie is visiting her sister in Anchorage, Alaska. She sees a man that she instantly feels drawn to, and when he asks her to marry her a short time later, she instantly accepts. They move to his 150-acre claim, living out of an old vehicle while they work on building a cabin. As they slowly get to know each other they also start to learn about themselves but struggle against the wilderness and each other while trying to create a home together.

I enjoyed the relationship between the two protagonists or lack thereof. Lawrence was struggling with PTSD from fighting in a war but still wanting to have a family and create a home in Alaska. The exploration of what he wanted versus what he was capable of emotionally was interesting and depicted well, and I enjoyed the slow growth he underwent throughout the work. Marie also struggled with some mental health issues mostly relating to pregnancy and postpartum complications, which added another layer of tension to their relationship. However, the characters themselves felt a little flat and detached from the plot and each other, which left me wanting more.

The author’s writing style made it difficult to fully enjoy this work for me. When there was dialogue, often the dialogue tag was simply “said,” which made long series of dialogue feel repetitive and lacking in emotion. There was also zero transition between POVs, jumping straight from Marie’s third-person narration to Lawrence’s, which is not something I generally prefer, especially when the character’s voices don’t feel unique. As I listened to the audiobook it was a little difficult to know for sure, but it felt like the author overutilized short, staccato sentences both in the prose and the dialogue.

This was a good, somewhat atmospheric historical fiction and family drama that was much more character driven than plot driven. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this book, which will be published 28 February 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I liked this book. I was a different speed for me and i thought it was nice. A little offended on some of the views back then regarding first nations and women but nothing i can do about that. Good story, well written and worth a read.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

This is a very good book. I loved that the relationship between both couples was believable. It was very real, including the moments of pure depression. The book felt very real, and everything that they went through, I'm sure others have as well. There were highs and lows with this book. The ending was interesting, and I am glad that everything ended well.

A slow poetic story about the evolution of a relationship amongst the hardships of homesteading. This book wasn’t what I expected which should be taken into account. It’s a very slow paced and matter of fact story that seems poetic. I was an ARC reader. It’s slower paced than I usually like, but the story is realistic while maintaining a form of writing similar to painting a canvas. It’s not a reread for me but it didn’t make it to my DNF.