No Place Like Home by Barbara O'Neal is a poignant and beautifully crafted novel that explores the complex dynamics of family, love, and the process of healing. The story centers on Jewel Sabatino, who, after years of living in New York City, receives an unexpected inheritance: her late aunt’s Pueblo farm and one hundred acres of land in her hometown of Colorado. This inheritance forces Jewel to confront her past and reconnect with the life and family she left behind as a teenager.

The novel delicately weaves together themes of love and loss, the pull of home, and the challenge of forgiveness. Jewel’s return to her roots is filled with a mixture of hope and trepidation. She arrives with her teenage son, Shane, who is meeting his extended family for the first time, and a heart full of unresolved emotions, particularly toward her estranged father. Her return also brings her closer to Michael, a man who has been a constant in her life, but whose relationship with Jewel has been tested by time and circumstances.

O'Neal excels in crafting rich, multi-dimensional characters. Jewel’s journey of self-discovery and reconciliation is tender and real, as she grapples with her past decisions and tries to make peace with the family she distanced herself from. The sense of place is also vivid in the novel, with O'Neal skillfully evoking the beauty of the Colorado landscape, the cultural richness of the Sicilian traditions Jewel’s family holds dear, and the tight-knit, supportive community that has waited for her return.

The story is also layered with a quiet romance, as Jewel’s connection with Michael slowly unfolds amidst the challenges of her return. This thread adds emotional depth, but it is Jewel’s journey of healing and forgiveness that is at the heart of the novel. O'Neal’s writing is heartfelt, weaving together a tapestry of emotions, from grief to hope, and creating a story that resonates long after the final page is turned.

For fans of deeply moving family sagas and stories about returning home to face both the past and the future, No Place Like Home is a deeply satisfying and enriching read. O'Neal captures the complexity of family bonds with compassion, offering a beautiful reminder that sometimes the hardest journey is the one back to where we started, to make peace with who we were and embrace who we can still become.

This was my first time reading a novel by Barbara O’Neal, and I’m thrilled to have found a new author to binge!

Jewel was seventeen when she fled Colorado on the back of her boyfriend’s motorbike, and she hasn’t been home since. Twenty-three years later, she’s raising her son alone and caring for her best friend Michael, when she receives a surprising inheritance: her aunt’s farm and one hundred acres of land in Pueblo.

Malachi, Michael's younger brother, enters the picture as a charming and adventurous guy who returns home to support Michael during his last days. He quickly becomes a source of comfort for Jewel, but he has demons of his own and refuses to settle in one place, while she’s looking to put down roots.

The characters are well-developed with rich histories. Each character feels authentic, illustrating how misunderstandings and past pain can influence their relationships, and their journeys emphasize the importance of healing and forgiveness.

Food and the smell of cooking play a significant role in this book, serving as a comforting backdrop to family gatherings and a means of connection, and including recipes in the book was brilliant touch - I’ll definitely have to try a few of them!

No Place Like Home is a beautifully crafted story about family, love and loss, of forgiveness and second chances. It’s a perfect read for anyone who appreciates stories of personal growth and the enduring ties of family, not just the ones we are born into, but also the ones we choose along the way.

*I received an advance reader copy for free (thank you Barbara O’Neal and Netgalley), and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

Another solid read by an excellent author. Grateful to #netgalley for the chance to read and rate. Emotional second chance romance with all the fixings.

A beautiful story, I felt immersed in the town and the family. While I was t expecting so much the love story aspect , I greatly appreciated the exploration of the deep love of friendship.

I received a complimentary copy of this book "No Place Like Home" and all opinions expressed are my own. The book was slow and hard to get into. Not my favorite from this author. Overall okay story.

Another solid Barbara O'Neal book. She is so good at character development and always making every story so different than the last.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this author, and I really really really wanted to like this book. But I didn’t!

I found it to be weird, and I couldn’t get into it!

I don’t like how the female main character talks about her sexual tension, and I find it super awkward. Definitely not my favorite by this author.

No Place Like Home, by Barbara O’Neal, is a complex multi-generational family drama that takes readers on an emotional journey. Jewel, after falling in love with a musician and defying her father’s wishes, leaves her small community for New York City. Her husband's death leads her to form her own family community of friends, including Michael, her gay best friend who is dying from AIDS. Upon inheriting her grandmother’s house, she returns to her hometown, facing the challenges of reconnecting with her family and childhood community. This journey of love, loss, and family bonds is primary to the novel's theme.

A secondary plot introduces Malachi, Michael's brother, who has his own demons and refuses to settle in one place. As the novel unfolds, so do Jewel’s feelings for Malachi, but she’s looking to put down roots while he seems incapable of doing so. The book also focuses on Jewel’s son, who, initially angered by the move, learns the benefits of family and the journey to becoming oneself. The growth and transformation of these characters are prominent in the storyline.

Although the plot was somewhat formulaic and, at times, moved slowly, I found the character development and the exploration of complex family dynamics engaging. The author's ability to evoke empathy and connection in readers through the characters' experiences was a standout feature of the novel. Despite its predictable plot, I enjoyed reading the novel and would recommend it.

Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and the author, for an ARC of the book. I am happy to share an honest review.

This is a beautiful multigenerational saga and love story that I devoured and loved. There are story lines of love, loss, friendship and family. This story will stick with me for a long time.

Barbara O’Neal is one of my favorite authors. There’s always so many layers to her stories. The family drama feels so real. The estrangement between Jewel & her father. The unconventional self-made family between Jewel & Michael. The reunion with Jewel’s whole family when she moves back home. All of the characters have a rich backstory & she paints the picture so clearly it’s like watching a movie. The recipes sprinkled throughout are an added bonus. It’s a beautiful book filled with beauty, sorrow, joy, & loss. It’s absolutely worth the read.

Great story of a woman coming home to her family with family and reconciliation with this family, finding her roots, helping her best friend deal with his health, and a new love. Cried with this one.

Barbara Oneal always amazes me with her beautiful stories! This was a such a great read! I loved the characters and the storyline. Wonderfully done

I am a fan of this author, but this one is definitely not a favorite. So many stories available of the main character inheriting something or someplace from the place they ran away from years ago. Going back and reconciling with the past. A little slow, but it did pull on the heartstrings for wanting everything to work out.

This was a good read. Jewel has returned home to Pueblo, Colorado with her son, and her sick best friend. Jewell ran away from home almost twenty years ago with a muscian. She was madly in love with him, but he was never able to conquer his demons. He is now dead and Jewel can't afford to help Michael with his terminal illness and her lost son Shane. As luck would have it, Jewel inherits her aunts home and so she goes back. She worries about rebuilding bridges with her family, helping Michael with his illness, stopping her son from the reckless path he has started down, and even new friendships.

I enjoy Barbara O'Neal's books. The main character is often introspective and working out this own issues and striving for something better. The writing style is easy-to-read and the plot will give you food-fo-thought.

I’ve read several other novels by this author and have absolutely loved them. Unfortunately, No Place Like Home was a bit of a miss for me. O’Neal’s beautifully descriptive writing had me craving some home cooked family meals with the company of a large boisterous Italian family. However, the romance, main character, and conflict all seemed rather contrived and one dimensional. I definitely will read other books by O’Neal but this one was not one of my favorites.

This is basically a book about friendship and family, however add in a very sexual deprived character, then you have this book.

This was a slow, hard to get into book, which actual is a re-release of the original in 2002.

I was really expecting more out of this book and honestly, disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Barbara O'Neal is the queen of reuniting families after being gone for 20 years. No Place Like Home is No Exception.
While nothing can ever top When We Were Mermaids, I'm always happy to read a book about family exploration, returning to what was once home.

Jewel Sabatino, returns home, after a brief stint of stardom. We learn about her childhood, her children, family relationships, death, and her body size - being a size 14 is mentioned numerous times throughout the book.

All in all, if you are looking for a a genre of this kind - O'Neal is the one to turn to.

If there are two things I love about this author's books it is her way of fleshing out her characters, and describing her settings in such a way that you feel them as much as you see them. This book is no exception. I loved Jewel's ease with her sexuality and absolutely fell in love with Michael. Their friendship is the one everyone wants in their own life - true soul siblings. I also loved Jordan - she's the sister or best friend I would love to have!
The story revolves around Jewel's decision to move back to the town she grew up in and her extended family, due to finances and her need to support Michael through the end of his life. Most of her family are delighted to see her return, but others are uncomfortable with it, especially her father from whom she has been estranged since she left as a teenager. Jewel is also negotiating her relationship with her 17 year old son as she comes to terms with his growing up and wanting to stretch his wings, while she dances around a tentative relationship with Michael's brother. And finally, I look forward to the recipes that the author slips in.

I think the cover is very uninspiring and if it wasn't for the fact that I know I like Barbara O'Neal's books I would not have picked this up. Ultimately though, this was a good read with an easy writing style about complex relationships, compromise, and letting go.

I couldn’t put it down. Loved everything about this book. Be prepared to cry toward the end. This author has a way with words that keeps you captivated. Great book!

Barbara O’Neal’s books have quickly become an automatic read for me. This book was first published in 2002, and revised in 2024.

I love how some books seem to enter your life just when you need THAT sort of read. This book was that for me. If you follow me, you know I love a good emotional read. This book hit all the feels. O’Neal paints a picture of the Sabatino family, a tight knit, large Italian family. Jewel, the wild child, returns home with her teenage son and her gravely ill best friend. Estranged from her Dad, what transpires next more than she could ever dream of.

Family is at the center of this book, both the family we are born into and the family that we choose. I so enjoyed the big family and how there was so much love going on behind the scenes. Friends that become our family when times are tough and are always there for us, no matter what. Jewel made a tough decision at a young age, and had to live with the fallout. Things come full circle in a heartbreaking way bringing with it an unexpected but heartwarming ending. This story was beautifully written and so relatable. Very rarely do I read a story that I fall in love with all the characters. There is a tough facade to all but a softness underneath. This is a love story of parents, family, friends and lovers that come into our lives at perfect times. Jewel is so unapologetic with the decisions she made in the past, she owns it and makes no excuses. But she has grown up and now knows what she needs to do. She is in no rush and let’s things play out organically, which I appreciated. This shows how differently we look at things and people at different points in our lives.

Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.