Serenity. Community. Help. Answers. Well. A mommune, a communal environment for women and children.

Lenna and Rhiannon become fast friends, and Rhiannon even plays a part in Lenna getting a job at the gossip magazine. However, there is another young woman on the fringes of Lenna and Rhiannon's friendship, and this plays into the drama that Lenna experiences before long.

In this story of past and present, Lenna is now a mother to a baby named Jacob. Seemingly in love with her husband Daniel, Lenna is surprised when she hears from Rhiannon after their friendship was lost many years ago. Lenna takes Rhiannon up on the offer to leave Danial, albeit temporarily, and to go to a community called Halcyon.

Lenna takes Jacob and heads to the desert to this unusual community. Daniel is perplexed as to why Lenna has left. It is at this point the story begins to shift and plays into secrets, mysteries and more. In fact, there is even a measure of gaslighting in this story. The question as to whether or not Lenna can get used to the communal way of thinking, even though her stay was meant to be for only a short while.

Nowhere Like Home gave me strong vibes of the Eagles song, Hotel California, especially the lines, "You can check-out any time you like. But you can never leave!" When you read this chilling book by Sara Shepard, you might be just as inclined as I was to stop and listen to the once-popular song.

My did I love this book! The drama shifting from past to present, all while wondering about the integrity of the community made this book quite an engaging read. If there was any drawback, it would be the drama/trauma that more than one character experienced and how this shaped most of the story. Sara Shepard has escaped my radar before now, but I will likely check out her next book.

Many thanks to and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

📚: Nowhere Like Home by Sara Shepard
⭐️: 3/5

This read had so much promise. A mysterious “mommune” in the Arizona desert, a random friend (Rhiannon) reconnecting with former friend and struggling new mom Lenna, and some seriously strange rules for the women at the commune. (And why does it seem like no one can leave?)

I was very into this read up until the latter quarter. While some may say the ending is twisty, wild, and is where the pace picks up - to me, it’s where the story jumped the shark and fell apart. The epilogue didn’t deliver any more satisfactory resolution, leaving me feel pretty meh by the end.

Thank you to @duttonbooks via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Nowhere Like Home is out tomorrow, 2/20!

Toxic friendships, social anxiety, and shady pasts all take a leading role in this plot-driven psychological thriller. Nowhere Like Home by Sara Shepard features multiple points of view beginning with the protagonist, Lenna. The story begins with Lenna traveling to reunite for her old friend Rhiannon who dropped out of Lenna's life unexpectedly two years ago and is now living at communal women-and-children-only off-the-grid location called Halycon Ranch. Lenna came to fess up and apologize for something she did to Rhiannon when she departed. Lenna has been hiding secrets, but so has Rhiannon. Why has Rhiannon reached out after all this time to Lenna, and why did Lenna feel compelled to see her in person, recklessly taking her infant son out of state with only a brief note left for her husband?

The novel jumps back two years previously to when Rhiannon and Lenna became friends, and the reader meets two more essential characters: Gillian and Sadie. Gilliian, a thirty-something woman seemingly suffering from debilitating social anxiety, who longs to make friends. She has her sights set on befriending Rhiannon and Lenna. Rhiannon is not interested in Gillian's friendship--she knows a liar when she sees one. Also perplexing, Gillian's current friendship with Dr. Sadie Wasserman hasn't been going so well since Sadie started IVF and wants Gillian to move out of her home.

These women's lives will all intertwine. Someone will "disappear" and there may be more than one person responsible. All will come to a climax at at Halycon Ranch. There will be a few twists and old grudges will be brought to light. This is a book that keeps the reader locked in and turning the pages way into the night. Trigger warnings for grief, loss of parent, and severe social anxiety.

Thanks for Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this face-paced ARC.

After the birth of her child Lenna, is experiencing the overwhelming feelings of the newborn phase, coupled with some frustration with her partner. She hears from her long lost friend Rhiannon, who invites her to a communal living environment in the desert of Arizona. At this commune, women work together to raise their children and to live consciously. Lenna accepts the invitation and proceeds to go out into the desert to meet Rhiannon and visit her intentional community. However, once there Lenna realizes there are some things that just don't add up.

I enjoyed the cult like vibes of this one. The women at the commune do not have access to phones or internet. They are locked into the commune and only one person is able to open the gate to let people in or out. Lenna sets out to figure out what is going on, why Rhiannon is living there and why she has been invited. I was a fan of the premise fo the book, but I thought the plot dragged a bit in the middle. 3.5 stars for me

Nowhere Like Home is about a group of women who are connected through each other and end up at a compound at different times through a recruiter. While at this compound there are a set of rules that have to be followed. Not only that- but only women and their children are allowed. With that being said- you're not allowed to just leave. The property is surrounded by barbed wire fencing and there's a gate code to get out that no one is allowed to know.

There are so many twists in this story. I had a bit of a hard time following along for the first half of the book. But towards the end it got easier. I gave this book three stars because ultimately there was too much going on for me.

Sara Shepard's Nowhere Like Home is not only a compelling mystery/suspense, but it's also about friendship and love. When I first started reading, I thought it was going to be a "cult book", but it's not. It's better. It's about women wanting to find a place to belong when they've been wronged, but, when someone inside the community knows their secrets and uses them against them, that's when it gets really good. With a few well-placed red herrings, I suspected almost everyone of being the villain, and I was still wrong in the end. I hope Sara's latest gets lots of well-deserved love!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Sara Shepard, and Penguin Group Dutton for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a miss for me. I love books about culty communes, so that combined with knowing Shepard was the author of Pretty Little Liars (which I didn't read but loved the show as a teen) really drew me in at first. The book has a couple of surprising twists I wasn't able to predict, and I did think the commentary on female friendship was good. However, it just didn't quite work for me. The characters felt shallow and were not compelling, and I didn't like how the book set up all of the women on the commune to be "suspicious" but didn't ever go more in depth to them compared to the main characters. All of the main characters themselves were very flawed, and to be honest, I didn't really feel like rooting for them at any point lol. I also think the book would have worked better if the creepy culty commune was emphasized more; it felt like every time something suspicious was mentioned, it was quickly explained away. This book is a nice quick read that has some good thrills but overall just misses the mark as a whole.

Lenna is an overwhelmed new mom who feels like she's lost herself in her new trek with motherhood. She is extended an invitation to join in a secret community. A "mommune," by Rhiannon, an estranged friend of hers who she parted ways with on not the best of terms 2 years prior.

Rhiannon explains that the mommune is a community composed of only women and children who work together within the community off the grid.

Rhiannon believes Lenna would benefit from staying on the commune.

Feeling lost, on a whim, Lenna books a flight and takes off to the commune with her 6 month old son, leaving her husband behind with only a brief apology note to be found.

Upon arriving, Lenna becomes suspicious of Rhiannon and believes she has ulterior motives for inviting her.

A twisty story about friendships and betrayals set in a dual timeline of the present and 2 years prior.

This book kept me entertained. I typically read 2 or 3 books at once, and I was drawn to this book more so than the others I was reading. Always a good sign!

The author does a good job of keeping interest for the need to find out what happens next. She writes in a way as if the answer to the mystery is right on the tip of her tongue but draws it out until it all is brought to the surface. slapping you in the face. Just the type of thriller I enjoy!

Thank you, Dutton books, and NetGalley for the advanced copy! This book is set to release on 2/20/24.

I read all of Shepard’s Pretty Little Liars series books and of course watched the show, but I had no idea she’d started writing adult fiction novels as well so when I saw this one I was so excited to read it! It definitely didn’t disappoint and I enjoyed it thoroughly overall. I’m always down for a cultish/commune style mystery/suspense and this was an addictive, wild and pulse-pounding ride! I loved the dual timelines, multiple POV and the Instagram posts sprinkled throughout which gave a glimpse into Gillian’s thoughts and reasoning. It was very hard to put down with all of the twists, turns, secrets and betrayals in true Shepard fashion! I can’t wait to see what’s next from her as well.

Sara Shepard's work is phenomenal and Nowhere Like Home was no exception.
I really enjoyed this story! The story kept my interest and I was on the edge of my seat to find out what happened.
There are enough twists and turns in this novel to keep one guessing and the ending was also well done. I found it to be very well written, fast paced, and captivating! It was unputdownable, completely full of lies and secrets, and kept the tension and suspense paced perfectly!

Thank You NetGalley and Dutton for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

"Nowhere Like Home" by Sara Shepard is a gripping adult novel that explores the complexities of friendship, trauma, and secrets within a mysterious commune. With expert twists and suspenseful storytelling, Shepard keeps readers hooked until the very end.

Super solid thriller. I was never bored, good twists, and interesting plot. To be fair, I dont' know that this will stick with me long term, but sometimes that's ok. I was entertained and that's what I was looking for!

Thank you Dutton Books for the #gifted copy of Nowhere Like Home!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐍𝐨𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐝
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟎, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)

I LOVED the Pretty Little Liars novels and was so excited when I heard Sara Shepard was writing an adult standalone thriller. A group of mothers living in a “mommune,” each running from something? Yes, please! I could not stop reading and listening to this one and was so invested in what was going to happen next. There were twists that I did not see coming and I really appreciated the format, with flashbacks and multiple POVs, which really added to the storyline. This was an addictive read and perfectly paced.

Posted on Goodreads on February 18, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around February 18, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on February 20, 2024
**-will post on designated date

I thought this one was quite interesting with the “mommune” of a group of moms living in a secluded place helping one another. That is until things started to get crazy and my antennas started to fly up. I loved that we got multiple POVs giving background on the main moms. However, it did at times feel a bit disjointed in the way it was set up. I loved the element of surprise as we get the full story of what happened with the friendship of Lenna and Rhiannon and how each mom got to the Halcyon community. Also, the ending was a surprise for me, and it did add more to the overall story! It did give Lifetime movie vibes which I love a good Lifetime movie! And… I didn’t realize that this was the author of Pretty little Liars. I loved that TV series!! Instead of twisted teen friendships, this has twisted mom friendships with crazy pasts!

Thank you for the ARC!

Loved pretty little liars so decided to give this one a try ! It did feel like a slow burn at first but once you keep reading it does get better! Loved the setting and characters !

I found the mystery intriguing. Multiple characters had secrets so the story kept me engaged. Interesting commentary on friendships. Unexpected reveal at the end.

I’m pregnant and found the content too triggering. Perhaps I’ll give it a try in the future! The concept sounds intriguing, but I requested it before finding out that I am pregnant.

This one really kept me guessing the whole way through. Did not expect that ending!

An exciting story of betrayal and the struggle to confront the past.

Interesting points: murder mystery, “mommune”, alternating perspectives, dual timelines, new mom struggles

Unfortunately, I can't recommend reading Nowhere Like Home. I kept holding out for the book to get better but I was just plain bored throughout. I had high hopes for this book but it didn't hit the mark for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I haven't read or watched Pretty Little Liars. I'd even forgot this was by same writer and for a lot of this book wondered if this was her first or second work as a book author. At least now I know she's been a professional writer for so long, I don't need to hold back.

3+ because a lot of the story did get me involved.

Lenna is invited to this community of moms by an estranged friend with whom she wishes to reconnect, but getting there everything feels off, she feels watched, her things disappears, and she's afraid it might even bring to surface the trauma she's worked so hard to bury.

The book is told from four points of view, in two different times. One will take us to the source of Lenna's trauma and distance from Rhiannon, one will show us when she finds Rhiannon again after two years and visits the closed community where her old friend lives. I don't like how the story forces us into thinking this or that of people, it more than once made me suspect being manipulated. Not just that it was hiding things from me, we want that when reading these types of book, but that it was lying to me. I didn't want to go back and check because I actually enjoyed the book.

For a lot of the book, it builds very toxic relationships and it makes you curious about how the toxicity happened and where it will lead to. When you think you've been saved, you realize it wasn't really that. Or was it? For maybe the first half of the book, this was well done, enticing. Please, tell me more! But then it becomes too much. For some time I wondered if the writer had a kink for twisted characters and privileged those over a believable plot. However, the book derailed even more as we get to the climax and it just felt like a soap opera plot they had to come up with due to some contingency. Really, I even ask myself if the person who planned the basis for the story is the same who gave it the conclusion, because this story could have gone so many more interesting places. Or at least a less convoluted explanation—I'd have preferred the predictable. Moreover, the ending... it never ended! I definitely wasn't invested enough for all those extra pages.

Unfortunately, the way it developed made the part about toxic friendships lose meaning to me, but it was still delicious to read while it lasted. I'll probably carry good memories of this read because there's a big chance I'll forget all the complicated explanations the second half brings us.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.